[ad_1]
SINGAPORE: A COVID-19 case reported aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship was not “unexpected” and the Singapore government was prepared for it, Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing said on Wednesday (December 9). .
“When we embarked on this pilot, I think we never thought such things would never happen. We have always assumed that one day something might happen, ”Chan told reporters on the sidelines of his visit to the Siemens Advanced Manufacturing Transformation Center.
“That’s why it’s important for us to have a protocol to make sure that if something like this happens, we can contact Trace quickly, isolate the necessary cases and that the rest of the activities continue.
On Wednesday morning, Royal Caribbean’s ship Quantum of the Seas returned to Singapore a day ahead of schedule after an 83-year-old passenger tested positive for COVID-19.
READ: Royal Caribbean cruise passenger tests positive for COVID-19, ship returns to Singapore
The ship began sailing again this month as part of a pilot plan that allows cruises to nowhere, round trips with no ports of call, and with a maximum capacity of 50 percent for Singapore residents only.
The precautions included pre-departure and post-arrival COVID-19 testing. Guests were also required to carry the TraceTogether token or have the app installed on their phones, and wear masks and social distancing at all times.
The passenger who tested positive was immediately isolated and his initial close contacts were identified and isolated, the Singapore Tourism Board said. Since then, these contacts have tested negative for COVID-19 and more contacts are being traced.
READ: ‘I will definitely go again’: Some Royal Caribbean passengers say they have no regrets going on a cruise that was interrupted by the COVID-19 case
READ: After the COVID-19 case, the Quantum of the Seas cruise scheduled for December 10 goes ahead: Royal Caribbean
Chan said that with the protocols that have been put in place, the public can be assured that these types of incidents can be properly managed.
“Today is an example of how we have detected that case,” he said. “So this is not unexpected. In fact, precisely because we were concerned that such things could happen, we have implemented the necessary protocols.
The incident is also an example of how Singapore will manage risks arising from the resumption of economic activities, he said.
“As we recover from the pandemic, when we resume our economic activities, we work on the basis of a risk management strategy, rather than a risk elimination strategy. Because of the risk elimination strategy, zero risk means doing nothing. And that would not be consistent with our overall strategy. “
As of Tuesday, Singapore has reported a total of 58,285 COVID-19 cases.
Additional reporting by Brandon Tanoto.
CHECK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments
Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram
