The shit created by the PAP government because they refused to close the borders with India

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Total of 43 Changi Airport workers have tested positive for Covid-19; source likely worker who helped infected family from South Asia​

The tests were carried out after the emergence of a cluster of Covid-19 cases at the airport.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

Toh Ting Wei

May 22, 2021

SINGAPORE - A total of 10 airport workers – out of almost 19,000 swabbed – have tested positive for Covid-19 in a special testing operation after the emergence of a cluster of cases at Changi Airport.
The tests were carried out from May 9 to May 20, and all the infected workers are from Terminal 3, with workers from Terminal 1 and Jewel Changi Airport testing negative.
Apart from the 10 airport workers, 33 other workers had tested positive through other channels, such as when they reported sick or when they were serving quarantine orders.
In all, 43 airport workers have tested positive for Covid-19 so far, said the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and Changi Airport Group (CAG) on Friday (May 21).
The two agencies gave the figures in an update on measures taken at Changi Airport to deal with the growing number of cases linked to the airport’s Covid-19 cluster, which is currently the largest active one here with 104 cases as at Friday.
They said test results for an initial batch of Covid-19-positive airport workers were found to be similar and indicated the B1617 virus variant that was first detected in India. This suggests that their infections came from a common source.

"Preliminary investigations indicate that the initial transmission could have occurred through an airport worker who was assisting a family from South Asia, who arrived in Singapore on 29 April, 2021 and were subsequently found to be positive for Covid-19 through their on-arrival tests," said the two agencies.
CAAS and CAG did not say which country the family was from.
The agencies said that since Thursday, workers in Terminal 3 Basement 2 who tested negative for Covid-19 in their first test have been rostered to take an additional test.
From Sunday (May 23), airport workers in higher-risk roles will be required to take an additional antigen rapid test (ART) between their seven-day rostered routine tests.

Passengers from very-high risk places must also now undergo an ART on arrival, on top of the usual polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.
"The quicker turnaround time of an ART compared to a PCR test will allow for public health action to be taken more quickly for persons who test positive by ART," said CAAS and CAG.
The two agencies said they will work with the aviation community to vaccinate more workers in the next few weeks. More than 90 per cent of front-line aviation workers have been vaccinated so far.
Airport cluster's source likely a worker helping infected passengers from South Asia | THE BIG STORY

​

CAAS and CAG reiterated that precautions are in place at the airport to guard against Covid-19.
For example, workers handling flights from the highest-risk countries wear full personal protective equipment. None of the airport workers who tested positive is in serious condition, requires oxygen or is in the intensive care unit.
Since this month, the airport has further segregated passengers arriving from low-risk places from other passengers.

​

Passenger terminals at Changi Airport and Jewel will remain closed to the public until the end of the phase two (heightened alert) period on June 13 as an added precaution.
During the closure, airport workers will be briefed about the new measures and requirements, CAAS and CAG said.
But the airport remains open for air travel, they added.

 

[bobby]

Any idiot can deduce that this cases come from the fucking infected Ah Nehs foreigners arriving into SG that the govt recklessly allow in despite all the warnings......

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

When a domestic helper gets infected, the whole family is quarantined.

MOM urges maids to stay at home on rest days, avoid crowded places when running errands​

Domestic workers should not be assigned work if they stay at home during their day off, says the Ministry of Manpower.PHOTO: ST FILE

Ng Wei Kai


MAY 21, 2021


SINGAPORE - Since the new Covid-19 measures came into effect on Sunday (May 16), the authorities here have stepped up spot checks on places popular with maids here.
Enforcement action will be taken if they are found to have flouted the safe management measures, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in a release on Friday.
MOM added that maids are urged to stay home on their rest days due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation.
However, they should not be assigned work if they do stay at home, MOM said.
"If employers come to a mutual agreement with their migrant domestic workers to forgo their rest day, employers must provide compensation in lieu of the rest day," it said.
Should maids go out for essential errands they should keep the trip short and avoid crowded places. They should also keep to the allowed group size of two people, said MOM.



"They should not intermingle between groups, and should also not share food, drinks or utensils," it added.
Covid-19-infected migrant domestic workers have been surfacing among Singapore's daily recorded community infections as it battles the recent spike in infections.
On Thursday, a 32-year-old Filipina maid was among 27 community infections reported. On Wednesday there were two maids included in the case count by the Ministry of Health, and another on Tuesday.
So far, these infections have been linked to those of their employers, but it is unclear which way round the transmission had occurred.
MOM added that employers should engage with their maids to help them understand why stricter social distancing is necessary during this period.

 

[theblackhole]

south asians are the best
no problem coming to singapore
they are warmly welcomed
come come come ...knnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

More testing. The virus is spreading throughout the community.

Residents of Block 559 in Pasir Ris to go for swab test after Covid-19 patients detected there​

The Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council has worked with the NEA to thoroughly clean and disinfect the common area at Block 559 and surrounding blocks.PHOTOS: DESMOND TAN/INSTAGRAM, SCREENGRAB FROM GOOGLEMAPS

Audrey Tan
Science and Environment Correspondent

May 23, 2021

SINGAPORE - All residents of a Housing Board block in Pasir Ris have been asked to undergo a swab test after Covid-19 cases were detected there.
Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC MP Desmond Tan said in a Facebook post on Sunday (May 23) morning that this was a precautionary measure to ensure the safety and well-being of the residents of Block 559 in Pasir Ris Street 51.
He added that there was no need for residents living in the surrounding blocks to get tested unless they had visited households in the block from May 2.
The swab tests will be administered at the regional screening centre at the site of the former Coral Primary School from 9am to 4pm on Sunday and Monday (May 24).
More details are provided on a flyer from the Health Ministry (MOH) that was delivered door-to-door, said Mr Tan, who is Minister of State for Home Affairs and Sustainability and the Environment.
Residents will also receive a text message notifying them about their appointment for the swab.


Mr Tan urged residents to stick to their time slot to avoid crowding at the centre. He added that the Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council has worked with the National Environment Agency to thoroughly clean and disinfect the common area at Block 559 and surrounding blocks.
"(I am) grateful for their prompt efforts," he said, thanking volunteers and officers from other government agencies for facilitating the swabbing exercise within a short period.
"Let's do our part and make Pasir Ris safe for all of us. Stay home as far as possible and seek medical attention if unwell," he added.
This is the second HDB block where several Covid-19 cases have surfaced, after Block 506 in Hougang Avenue 8. Residents in that block went for mandatory Covid-19 testing on Friday (May 21) and Saturday.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Businesses hurt by the spread of the virus.
The PAP government said the construction sector benefits from the continued inflow of foreign workers from India, but the other businesses: retail, food and beverage, services are the ones paying the price.

Jem and Westgate to close for 2 weeks from May 23; 10 recent Covid-19 cases linked to both malls​

Of the 10 recent cases linked to the malls, four were detected during testing operations, which are still in progress.ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO

Sue-Ann Tan

May 23, 2021

SINGAPORE - Jem and Westgate will be closed from Sunday (May 23) for two weeks for deep cleaning after investigations found that there is likely ongoing transmission among visitors to the two malls in Jurong East.
The closure aims to break any potential chain of transmission and enable deep cleaning of the premises, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Saturday night. The malls will reopen on June 6.
Members of the public will still be able to access Ng Teng Fong General Hospital through Westgate and the office towers at these premises will remain open.
MOH noted that there are 10 recent cases linked to the malls, of whom four were detected during testing operations, which are still in progress.
Three of the seven unlinked cases announced on Saturday had been to Westgate recently.
People who visited Jem or Westgate in Jurong East between May 10 and 14 have been strongly encouraged to be tested for Covid-19 as coronavirus-positive patients were at the malls during that period.

All visitors to Jem and Westgate since May 10 are advised to monitor their health closely for 14 days from their date of visit. They are encouraged to visit a Regional Screening Centre or “Swab and Send Home” (Sash) Public Health Preparedness Clinic for a free Covid-19 test if they feel unwell.
In total, there were 22 new cases of locally transmitted Covid-19 infection, with 15 linked to previous cases. Among them, 12 have already been placed on quarantine. There are no new cases in the dormitories.
Two 19-year-old Singapore Polytechnic (SP) students were among the new community cases, adding to the four SP cases that were earlier announced.
The first new case is a second-year student from the School of Computing who works part-time as a food processor at Sats Food Services. He tested positive for Covid-19 during quarantine as he has been identified as a household contact of a previous case, a 49-year-old woman who works as a factory operator at SMS InfoComm.

The second new case is a third-year student from the School of Chemical and Life Sciences. She was last on campus on May 15, when she met a fellow SP student who was announced as a Covid-19 case last week.
SP said the two had met for a co-curricular activity (CCA) and had dinner together outside of school. All other students who had met for the CCA on May 15 have been quarantined by MOH.
The linked cases include a 24-year-old Malaysian man who works as a delivery rider for IVIC Logistic and McDonald’s at Pasir Ris Elias Community Club. There are currently a total of three McDonald’s delivery riders who have tested positive.

Only staff of Jem were allowed into the mall on May 23, to tidy up in advance of the planned closure. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

There were also seven imported cases, who had already been placed on stay-home notice or isolated upon arrival in Singapore.
Overall, the number of new cases in the community has increased from 103 cases in the week before to 199 cases in the past week, MOH said.
The number of unlinked cases in the community has also increased from 14 cases in the week before to 61 cases in the past week.
MOH added that 35 more cases of Covid-19 infection have been discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities.
There are currently 255 confirmed cases who are still in hospital.
Of these, most are stable or improving, and five are in critical condition in the intensive care unit.
Another 235 are isolated and cared for at community facilities.
There have been 32 deaths here due to complications from the coronavirus.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Hundreds of thousands of businesses have to do paperwork.

Business owners in S'pore asked to declare on-site manpower details: MTI​

Singapore is under phase two (heightened alert) until June 13 as it tackles the spread of Covid-19.ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH

Hariz Baharudin

MAY 22, 2021

SINGAPORE - Business owners have been asked by the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) to provide updates on their on-site staff numbers.
This is to enable the Government to monitor the number of people not working from home as Singapore tackles the spread of Covid-19 during its current period of heightened alert.
An MTI spokesman told The Straits Times on Saturday (May 22) that this requirement is not new and was put in place last year as Singapore progressively reopened its economy to allow more employees to return to their workplaces.
It was suspended last month when Singapore shifted away from working from home as a default. But firms were told on Friday that they had to provide updates again.
The MTI spokesman added that firms can update their on-site manpower numbers on the Government's GoBusiness online portal.
Singapore is under phase two (heightened alert) until June 13. During this period, besides working from home as the default, there are also restrictions on movements and social gatherings.


Business owners told ST that they received an e-mail on MTI's requirements on Friday from Postman.gov.sg, the Government's mass notifications tool.
But some had not been sure about the legitimacy of the e-mail and had thought the message was a scam.
MTI clarified that this tool is used to send out mass communications to the public quickly and effectively.
Members of the public can refer to the website for more details, it added.
Earlier this month, the Traffic Police clarified that a Notice of Traffic Offence it had issued was genuine, after an online post claimed that it was a scam.
In addition to making working from home the default, employers are advised to also stagger the start times of employees who need to return to the workplace, and implement flexible working hours.

 

[capamerica]

World Economic Forum cancels meeting scheduled to be held in Spore in August​

Organisers cited the uncertain travel outlook and new variants of Covid-19, among others, as reasons.ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

Lim Min Zhang

May 17, 2021

SINGAPORE - The World Economic Forum (WEF) special annual meeting scheduled to be held in Singapore in August has been postponed to next year.
Organisers cited the uncertain travel outlook and new variants of Covid-19, among others, as reasons.
In a statement on its website on Monday (May 17), the WEF said: "Regretfully, the tragic circumstances unfolding across geographies, an uncertain travel outlook, differing speeds of vaccination rollout and the uncertainty around new variants combine to make it impossible to realise a global meeting with business, government and civil society leaders from all over the world at the scale which was planned."
This is despite the "excellent support" provided by the Government of Singapore, said WEF.
The next annual meeting will instead take place in the first half of 2022. The final location and date will be determined based on an assessment of the situation later this summer, said the statement.

If we had a high rate of vaccinations, things would be different

Look at the Americans, reopening everything

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Swab testing overwhelmed.

Expect delays in receiving Covid-19 swab test results in S'pore, say lab officials​

The daily average number of swabs Parkway Laboratories received the past two weeks were almost double that from a month ago.PHOTO: PARKWAY LABORATORIES
Sherlyn Sim

May 27, 2021

SINGAPORE - People waiting for Covid-19 swab test results may experience delays beyond 24 hours because laboratories are experiencing a surge in the number of swabs being sent in daily, said Parkway Laboratories chief executive Daniel Tan.
He said the daily average number of swabs received in the past two weeks was almost double that from a month ago. He did not reveal the figures as they were deemed to be sensitive.
Dr Tan said the machines processing the swabs were fully utilised and lab technicians had been working 16 to 18 hours daily since two weeks ago, with some even volunteering to return on their days off.
He said: "This has been the busiest I've been since I joined in 2017. It's even busier than the first wave last year as we did not have as much testing capacity then."
Parkway Laboratories, which comes under IHH Healthcare Singapore, currently processes swab tests for more than 200 general practitioner clinics, four IHH Healthcare hospitals, some nursing homes, prisons and migrant worker dormitories.
The surge in testing comes as Singapore moves aggressively to curb community transmissions of Covid-19 with mass testing and swabbing taking place at many places, including at Swab and Send Home (Sash) clinics.

Other independent labs such as Innoquest Diagnostics are also swamped, resulting in delays for even the most urgent cases.
It has received 15,000 to 20,000 swabs on average daily since May 17, a threefold spike from the 5,000 to 7,000 received on average daily in April.
Innoquest Diagnostics processes Covid-19 swab tests for more than 500 general practitioner clinics, a few private and public hospitals as well as swabbing sites.
Its chief executive Ginny Foo said the increased workload may delay swab test results for clinically urgent cases from six hours to up to 12 hours.

Results obtained for less urgent swabs, which usually take 12 hours, may now take up to 24 hours.

Innoquest Diagnostics has received between 15,000 and 20,000 Covid-19 swab test samples on average daily since May 17. PHOTO: INNOQUEST DIAGNOSTICS

The duration does not factor in processing time taken for swabbing, logistics and the upload of test results to the National Electronic Health Record system.
As part of an effort to cope with the increased workload, labs told ST they were rushing to get more machines and hire more staff.
Dr Tan said that Parkway Laboratories, which has been operating 24 hours a day for seven days a week since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, has increased manpower to run the lab at full staffing at all hours, even at nights and on weekends, which is dealing with as many swabs being sent in as weekdays.
The lab has also mobilised all staff, including those in administration, to help with swab registration duties. Despatch drivers now double up to resupply clinics with new Covid-19 test kits when they make their collection rounds.

Boxes of Covid-19 swab tests are sorted according to the indication or purpose and are waiting to go into the processing room. PHOTO: PARKWAY LABORATORIES
Parkway Laboratories has also introduced rigorous measures to ensure swabs that are clinically significant are moved to the front of the queue and processed first.
Clinically urgent swabs are those indicated by an ordering doctor as being a suspected case or a symptomatic patient with acute respiratory illness, said Dr Tan.
"Clinically urgent swabs are put in the priority queue so that we can get results very quickly and any Covid-19 positive results can be acted upon swiftly," he said.
At Innoquest Diagnostics, Ms Foo said she has increased manpower and is considering bringing in more analysers. This will lead to increased testing capacity and faster turnaround time for results.
She said: "We need to recruit more medical technologists to perform tests as well as despatch and van drivers to go collect the samples. We are hiring very aggressively now.
"It's absolutely all hands on deck to meet the nation's testing needs at this moment."
The Straits Times has contacted the Ministry of Health for comment.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Another xia suay moment.

Football: Singapore withdraws as host for AFC Cup group games due to 'erratic Covid-19 situation'​

The second-tier club competition was slated to begin from June 29 to July 6.PHOTO: ST FILE

David Lee

May 27, 2021

SINGAPORE - The Republic has withdrawn as host of two AFC Cup groups owing to the "erratic" Covid-19 situation in the region, the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) announced on Thursday (May 27).
The continent's second-tier club competition was set to see visiting teams from Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines join Singapore Premier League sides Lion City Sailors and Geylang International in the June 29-July 6 event.
But with Singapore entering Phase 2 (heightened alert) due to the recent spike in coronavirus cases, and the implementation of restrictions such as a 21-day quarantine for visitors from most countries, the staging of the 12 matches became untenable.
With more than 1.7 million confirmed Covid-19 cases and 49,000 deaths, Indonesia is the worst-hit country in South-east Asia. Malaysia recorded a high of 7,857 cases on Thursday, with an overall total of over 500,000 cases and a death toll of over 2,300 since the pandemic started. The Philippines has recorded more than one million infections and nearly 20,000 deaths.
The FAS said on Thursday: "The FAS has been working with all parties to provide a safe environment for all participants of the tournament.
"However, the erratic Covid-19 situation regionally has made the inbound travel challenging for the overseas participating teams.

"In the interest of all the players, the officials and the local community, the FAS has decided not to host the AFC Cup 2021 group-stage matches."
The Asian Football Confederation acknowledged "the challenges caused by the evolving nature of the Covid-19 pandemic in Singapore and around the region" and added that further details regarding the two groups would be communicated in due course.
It is understood that the games will be postponed, possibly to October.
The Sailors were set to play Kedah, Saigon and Persipura Jayapura at the National Stadium, while Geylang were to play Terengganu, Kaya-Iloilo and another qualifier at Jalan Besar.

Singapore's decision to not host the AFC Cup group games comes after a spate of cancellations and postponements of high-profile events involving international arrivals.
In sport, mixed martial arts outfit One Championship's Empower event that was scheduled for May 28 at the Indoor Stadium has been put on ice. At the same venue, the June 1-6 Singapore Badminton Open, which was set to be the sport's final qualifier for the Tokyo Olympics, was cancelled for the second consecutive year.
Non-sporting events scrubbed from the Republic's calendar include the World Economic Forum's special annual meeting slated for August and the Shangri-La Dialogue, which was scheduled to take place from June 4-5.
Dr Leong Hoe Nam, an infectious diseases specialist from the Rophi Clinic at Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, agreed that it would be wise to avoid hosting a multi-national sporting event here for the time being.
He said: "All countries in this region who are in the competition are struggling with the pandemic. It would be socially irresponsible to continue as planned as there would be a risk of cross-border transmission and spreading of the virus."
The AFC had announced Singapore as host for Groups H and I on March 1 after "an extensive bidding process". While the Singapore teams will now have to play their AFC Cup group games away, Sailors chief executive Chew Chun-Liang believes his team can still progress to the knockout stage.
He said: "While we look forward to the excitement of competing in this regional tournament, we fully understand and respect the FAS' decision to withdraw as hosts for the AFC Cup games. We remain confident that the team will still be able to achieve our goals in the competition."
Geylang's spokesman shared the same sentiments as they "await further details on where our AFC Cup matches will be played".
Elsewhere, the five AFC Cup groups based in the West Asia zone have already begun competition in Bahrain, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan since May 14.

 

[tanwahtiu]

They voted PAP to stay in power. 1st class treatment cannot wait to repay them.

 

[batman1]

They voted PAP to stay in power. 1st class treatment cannot wait to repay them.

They voted for the best of the best in the world.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

$800 million of reserves to be drawn down because of the Phase 2 Circuit Breaker (Heightened Alert).
The mistake to allow incoming travellers from India costs $800 million and more.

$800 million Covid-19 support package to help firms and workers, including enhanced wage subsidies, rental relief​

The enhanced payouts, which are based on wages paid in April to June this year, will be disbursed in September.PHOTOS: JASON QUAH, ARTS HOUSE LIMITED, ST FILE

Yuen Sin

May 28, 2021

SINGAPORE - An $800 million support package that includes enhanced wage subsidies under the Jobs Support Scheme and rental relief will be rolled out to help businesses and workers cope with the impact of tightened Covid-19 restrictions.
Announcing the measures on Friday (May 28), Finance Minister Lawrence Wong said affected gyms, fitness studios and performing arts and arts education centres will get 50 per cent of salary support for local employees under the Jobs Support Scheme (JSS).
Sectors that do not have to suspend operations but are significantly affected by the measures will get 30 per cent of subsidies under the JSS.
This will help retailers, personal care services, museums, art galleries, historical sites, cinemas, indoor playgrounds and other family entertainment centres.
But supermarkets, convenience stores and online retailers will not be eligible for the enhanced wage support.
The enhanced payouts, which are based on wages paid in April to June this year, will be disbursed in September, said the Ministry of Finance (MOF) in a statement.


Employers who put local employees on mandatory no-pay leave or retrench them will not be eligible for JSS payouts for those employees, the ministry added.
Other businesses who wish to appeal for enhanced JSS support can also do so at go.gov.sg/jss.
The various support measures for those affected by the Phase 2 (heightened alert) restrictions from May 16 to June 13 will not require an additional draw on past reserves.
Instead, they will be funded through a re-allocation of spending, as some development expenditure can be capitalised under the recently passed Significant Infrastructure Government LoanAct (SINGA) Bill, MOF said.

A Supplementary Supply Bill will be tabled at the next Parliament sitting in July to effect the reallocation of spending.
Speaking at a virtual press conference, Mr Wong said the tightened measures have also been helping to curb the spread of the virus.
"Therefore, we do not think there is a need for further tightening in our overall posture," he said, adding the Multi-Ministry Task Force on Covid-19 will give a fuller update at a press conference by on Monday.
If there are further extensions of the restrictions beyond June 13, MOF will consider whether support measures can be similarly extended, he added.
Mr Wong, who co-chairs the task force, said the financial support package handed out this time round is not on the same scale as those allocated last year.
This is because most parts of the economy are still operating, and there are also more government support schemes, like the Jobs Growth Incentive, to support new jobs and opportunities.
Last year, close to $100 billion was dedicated to Covid-19 support measures over five Budgets, with up to $52 billion drawn from the reserves.
"Our circumstances today are very different compared to last year. And under such a circumstance, I don't think we should be going to the President to seek permission to draw on our past reserves" said the minister, adding that Singapore must expect to run into situations like this from time to time, when restrictions need to be tightened temporarily to control the spread of the virus.
"So we will have to learn to adapt to such situations, using our own resources rather than to dip into our past reserves, and it's on that basis that we are able to set aside some funds for this package," said Mr Wong.
Rental relief will also be given to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as well as eligible non-profit organisations in commercial properties, while eligible lower to middle-income workers and self-employed workers whose income have been affected by the measures can receive a one-off payout of between $500 and $700 under a new Covid-19 Recovery Grant (Temporary).
Under the current Phase 2 (heightened alert) measures , services such as dining-in, facials and saunas are barred from May 16 to June 13, while tighter capacity caps apply to retail spaces such as shopping centres and showrooms. Social gatherings are also capped at two people.
Indoor sports facilities such as gyms, too, face tougher operating restrictions from May 8 to June 13 - including having to close, unless they offer only low-intensity activities, where participants are masked and do not share common equipment.
Some support has been given to businesses and workers to cushion the impact of the measures, but companies have sought more help from landlords and the Government.
For instance, food and beverage businesses will get 50 per cent wage subsidies under the Jobs Support Scheme during the period for which dining in is prohibited, up from 10 per cent. Hawkers and coffee shop stallholders who are tenants of government agencies will also get a one-month rental waiver.
At least five mall operators have also pledged to help tenants hit by the stricter measures imposed on May 16, including by offering rental rebates.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Frequent mass testing. Get used to it. All because the PAP government is adamant about letting in travellers from India.

All residents living in Yishun HDB block told to take swab test after Covid-19 infections detected​

1 of 3

Residents living in surrounding blocks need not be tested unless they have visited households in Block 745 between May 15 and May 24.ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO

Cheryl Tan

May 31, 2021

SINGAPORE - All residents of a Housing Board block in Yishun have been asked to go for swab tests starting from Tuesday (June 1) after cases of Covid-19 infections have been detected there.
In a letter to residents seen by The Straits Times on Monday, Grassroots Adviser to Nee Soon GRC Faishal Ibrahim said this was a precautionary measure to ensure the safety and well-being of residents of Block 745 Yishun Street 72.
He added that residents living in surrounding blocks need not be tested unless they have visited households in Block 745 between May 15 and May 24.
"Nee Soon Town Council has done a thorough cleaning and disinfection of the common area at Block 745 and the surrounding blocks," he said.
On May 24, the 304 residents of Block 559 Pasir Ris Street 51 were asked to go for testing after four Covid-19 cases were detected in two households there.
The Ministry of Health said on May 25 that all the tests had come back negative.


Earlier, MOH had identified 11 Covid-19 cases from at least four households in Block 506 Hougang Avenue 8. Two of these were detected from a mandatory testing exercise for residents.
A total of 405 residents and visitors of the block were tested on May 21 and May 22.
Responding to a question raised at Monday's multi-ministry task force press conference, on the circumstances requiring all residents from a block to be tested, Singapore’s Director of Medical Services Kenneth Mak said that when clusters in the domestic setting are picked up, the team will start by looking at the obvious chains of transmission and “the modes of transmission that are of concern”.
“When we pick up several cases that occur within a fixed geographic vicinity, then we have to be concerned that there may also be chains of transmission that occur to other people that live in that same area,” said Associate Professor Mak. “And this is the reason why we would then extend and carry out testing operations.”
These testing operations are also reinforced by looking at data from other testing modalities, such as wastewater testing.
Screening wastewater samples could complement clinical testing and provide an additional indicator to assess the level of Covid-19 spread within a community. This is because infected individuals, including those who have mild symptoms or are asymptomatic could still be shedding the virus in their stool.
Assoc Prof Mak noted that this may raise concerns as it could suggest that there are additional people who may be asymptomatic but are potentially infectious to others, creating a sense of urgency to launch testing operations at the respective housing blocks.
“So we look at each cluster on a case-by-case basis, looking at the circumstances and making that decision (on) whether we want to organise these testing operations,” he said.
Though such operations are not easy to carry out, Assoc Prof Mak noted that they are necessary as part of Singapore’s aggressive testing to stay ahead of the curve and prevent further infections in the community.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Residents in Yishun, Hougang HDB blocks face Covid-19 tests as viral fragments found in wastewater​

Covid-19 viral fragments were detected in wastewater samples collected from Blocks 501 and 507 Hougang Avenue 8.PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM GOOGLE MAPS

Cheryl Tan

May 31, 2021

SINGAPORE - All residents of a Housing Board block in Yishun, and two blocks in Hougang have been asked to go for swab tests after surveillance measures and wastewater testing have detected likely cases of Covid-19 transmission there.
The mandatory tests will be conducted for all residents living in Block 745 Yishun Street 72, as well as Block 501 and 507 Hougang Avenue 8, on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Monday (May 31).
MOH said surveillance testing detected six Covid-19 cases among residents of Block 745 Yishun Street 72, from two households, with subsequent wastewater testing detecting Covid-19 viral fragments in the block.
Investigations are ongoing to determine linkages and the source of transmission.
In a letter to residents seen by The Straits Times on Monday, grassroots adviser to Nee Soon GRC Faishal Ibrahim said this was a precautionary measure to ensure the safety and well-being of residents of Block 745.
He added that residents living in surrounding blocks need not be tested unless they have visited households in Block 745 between May 15 and May 24.



“Nee Soon Town Council has done a thorough cleaning and disinfection of the common area at Block 745 and the surrounding blocks,” he said.
Separately, mandatory testing will also be carried out at Blocks 501 and 507 Hougang Avenue 8, after Covid-19 viral fragments were detected in wastewater samples collected from these blocks. There are currently no known Covid-19 cases there.
The tests for all three blocks will be conducted on Tuesday and Wednesday between 9am and 4pm.
Leaflets will be distributed and SMS notifications will be sent out to residents to provide them with more information, added MOH.

“Residents are also advised to monitor their health closely and consult a doctor immediately if they feel unwell.”
Earlier, MOH had identified 11 Covid-19 cases from at least four households in Block 506 Hougang Avenue 8. Two of these were detected from a mandatory testing exercise for residents.
On May 24, the 304 residents of Block 559 Pasir Ris Street 51 were asked to go for testing after four Covid-19 cases were detected in two households there.
The Ministry of Health said on May 25 that all those tests had come back negative.
Responding to a question raised at the multi-ministry task force press conference on Monday on the circumstances requiring all residents from a block to be tested, Singapore’s director of medical services, Associate Professor Kenneth Mak, said that when clusters in the domestic setting are picked up, the team will start by looking at the obvious chains of transmission and “the modes of transmission that are of concern”.
“When we pick up several cases that occur within a fixed geographic vicinity, then we have to be concerned that there may also be chains of transmission that occur to other people that live in that same area,” said Prof Mak.
“And this is the reason why we would then extend and carry out testing operations in a housing precinct involving several blocks of flats,” he explained.
These testing operations are also reinforced by looking at data from other testing modalities, such as wastewater testing.
Screening wastewater samples could complement clinical testing and provide an additional indicator to assess the level of Covid-19 spread within a community.
This is because infected individuals, including those who have mild symptoms or are asymptomatic could still be shedding the virus in their stool.
Prof Mak noted that this may raise concerns as it could suggest that there are additional people who may be asymptomatic but are potentially infectious to others, creating a sense of urgency to launch testing operations at the respective housing blocks.
“So we look at each cluster on a case-by-case basis, looking at the circumstances and making that decision (on) whether we want to organise these testing operations,” he said.
Though such operations are not easy to carry out, Prof Mak noted that they are necessary as part of Singapore’s aggressive testing to stay ahead of the curve and prevent further infections in the community.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Long queue for swab tests at Anchorvale clinic near location of new Covid-19 cluster​

1 of 2

Dozens of people - some with children in tow - waited outside Healthway Medical Clinic to be swabbed.ST PHOTO: YEO SHU HUI
Yeo Shu Hui

May 31, 2021

SINGAPORE - Following news of a Covid-19 cluster with five new cases on Sunday (May 30) at the NTUC Foodfare at Block 308 Anchorvale Road, there was a queue for testing at the clinic next to the foodcourt.
Dozens of people - some with children in tow - waited outside Healthway Medical Clinic to be swabbed on Monday.
One of them, consultant David Chan, said he had visited a roasted meats stall at the foodcourt last Thursday.
Although Mr Chan did not receive an alert from the authorities urging him to get tested, he decided to do so after a relative informed him about the cluster.
"Although I am fully vaccinated, I have to be responsible for myself and my family," said the 58-year-old.
Long queue for swab tests at Anchorvale clinic near location of new Covid-19 cluster

An engineer, who wished to be known only as Mr Bon, said he had visited the foodcourt last Saturday to get dim sum.

The 31-year-old, who lives nearby, said he found out about the cluster after a friend informed him. He had not received an exposure alert on his TraceTogether app, but decided to undergo the swab test.
He said: “We are just doing our part for the community. It is better to be safe than sorry.”
The Ministry of Health reported on Sunday that five of the day's 19 community cases were linked to a new cluster at the foodcourt. With links to two earlier cases, the cluster has a total of seven cases.
Some of these cases were linked to staff working at the Hua Zai HK Style Roasted Delight Rice Noodle at Fu Fa Food Court at 21 Hougang Street 51.
When The Straits Times visited the Fu Fa Food Court on Monday morning, its shutters were down. The area outside was also cordoned off.

The Fu Fa Food Court in Hougang was closed, after several Covid-19 cases were linked to staff at a stall there. ST PHOTO: YEO SHU HUI

An advertisement pasted outside the foodcourt invited job applications to be cleaners at the foodcourt. When a phone number listed on the advertisement was called, the woman who answered said she worked at the drinks stall at the foodcourt.
She said the foodcourt would be closed for two weeks.
The Anchorvale foodcourt is also closed till June 13. ST has contacted NTUC Foodfare for a comment.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

About 40 Covid-19 testing operations over past month, 55,000 swabs daily in second half of May: Ong Ye Kung​

The mass surveillance testing in May has targeted multiple locations, including housing blocks and schools.PHOTOS: ST FILE

Hariz Baharudin

May 31, 2021

SINGAPORE - About 40 special testing operations have been conducted over the past month to detect and slow down the spread of Covid-19 here, with an average of 55,000 swab tests being carried out daily in the second half of May, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung.
Mr Ong, who co-chairs the multi-ministry task force tackling Covid-19, was speaking at a virtual press conference on Monday (May 31) where he gave details about Singapore's shift towards testing becoming more preventive and large-scale.
This elaborated on the extensive "fast and easy" test strategy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong spoke about in a live national address just prior to the task force's briefing.
"Extensive testing will give us confidence to resume larger-scale events or gatherings... Therefore, you should expect that routine, large-scale, fast and simple testing to be part of our new normal," PM Lee said.
The aim, PM Lee said, was to isolate and ring-fence coronavirus cases and their contacts promptly before the virus spreads further.
Mr Ong said the mass surveillance testing in May, which is done when the authorities detect a new cluster, has targeted housing blocks, supermarkets, malls, the seaport, airport and schools.


"In the second half of May, we conducted on average over 55,000 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests and antigen rapid tests (ARTs) per day," he said.
The authorities will continue to step up the number of tests, he added.
Moving forward, Singapore will roll out a fast and extensive testing strategy to complement PCR tests, said Mr Ong. These tests are the most accurate, but usually take a day or two for the results to be known.
ARTs, which return results in about 30 minutes and are used heavily for pre-event testing, have been rolled out to almost all public health preparedness clinics and all polyclinics, Mr Ong said.
There are plans to expand this capacity and deploy them at private general practitioner clinics, he added.
Repeating what PM Lee mentioned, Mr Ong said Singapore is also exploring self-tests that people can buy in pharmacies and perform themselves.
"So it works, almost like a pregnancy test. And you can do so before you go to work. And that way, it is even more flexible in terms of deployment," he said.
Test, trace, vaccinate: Expert weighs in on S'pore's Covid-19 strategy | THE BIG STORY

Singapore’s director of medical services Kenneth Mak said that the Health Ministry is working on how such a test would be done, and for what kind of circumstances such a test is appropriate.
Highlighting how Covid-19 breathalyser tests, which can process results within a minute, are already being used at the Causeway and at Changi Airport, Mr Ong and said that fast and easy test kits will be piloted for certain workers, premises or events in the coming weeks.
For instance, this could be implemented among cleaners and front-line workers, for those in hospitals and malls, and for events like weddings, conferences or religious gatherings.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Four test positive for Covid-19 in Yishun and Hougang Housing Board blocks; over 1,000 swabbed​

Three people tested positive after 509 residents and visitors of Blk 745, Yishun Street 72 were tested.ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO

Clara Chong

Jun 2, 2021

SINGAPORE - Four people tested positive for Covid-19 after swab tests were conducted on more than 1,000 residents and visitors of three Housing Board blocks in Yishun and Hougang.
Three people tested positive after 509 residents and visitors of Blk 745, Yishun Street 72 were tested, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Wednesday (June 2).
At Blk 501 and 507, at Hougang Ave 8, 681 people have been tested as of Wednesday.
One tested positive, 665 people were found negative and 15 more test results were pending.
All residents of the three HDB blocks were asked to go for swab tests after surveillance measures and wastewater testing detected likely cases of Covid-19 transmission there.
MOH had said earlier that surveillance testing detected six Covid-19 cases among residents of Block 745, Yishun Street 72, from two households, with subsequent wastewater testing detecting Covid-19 viral fragments in the block.

Investigations are ongoing to determine linkages and the source of transmission.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

So easy to let in infected travellers but so hard to get rid of the virus in the community.

Hidden Covid-19 cases in S'pore community 'very concerning': Lawrence Wong​

The Ministry of Social and Family Development said on June 2 that 27 people at MINDSville@Napiri Adult Disability Home had tested positive for Covid-19.ST PHOTO: TIMOTHY DAVID

Linette Lai
Political Correspondent

Jun 3, 2021


SINGAPORE - The "hidden" Covid-19 cases that continue to circulate within the community remain a cause for concern, said Finance Minister Lawrence Wong on Thursday (June 3), adding that the recent coronavirus outbreak in a home for intellectually disabled adults is a "stark reminder" of this fact.
"We are dealing with a very infectious and highly contagious strain of the virus, which is capable of spreading much faster than anything we've had to deal with before and causing large clusters to break out easily," Mr Wong said in a video message on Facebook.
"So we really need to take the precautions and safeguards very seriously."
He was giving an update after a closed-door multi-ministry task force meeting on Thursday morning.
"We've been monitoring the situation carefully and considering what are some of the next steps we might take," added Mr Wong, who co-chairs the task force.
"We are very concerned about the hidden or cryptic cases that are still out there in the community."


The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) said on Wednesday night that 27 people - 23 residents and four staff members at MINDSville @ Napiri Adult Disability Home - had tested positive for Covid-19.
None of the residents had left the home since May 7, except for medical appointments, while staff living in the home had been allowed to leave only for essential purposes. It is not yet clear how many staff were living there.
Of the 225 residents and staff, 91 per cent were vaccinated in February and March, MSF said. All have since been tested for the virus, with 23 of the 27 cases found to be asymptomatic.
The home has since stopped all admitting and discharging of residents, prohibited all visitors, and completed a thorough cleaning and disinfection of its premises.

In his video message, Mr Wong reiterated his appeal for all Singaporeans to stay home as much as possible and see a doctor to get tested should they feel unwell.
The Government will continue to ramp up testing and speed up its nationwide vaccination programme, he said, adding that people should get vaccinated as soon as they can.
"As our vaccination rates continue to rise, we will have greater confidence in reopening and resuming activities safely."

 

[laksaboy]

So easy to let in infected travellers but so hard to get rid of the virus in the community.

Hidden Covid-19 cases in S'pore community 'very concerning': Lawrence Wong​

Oh dear, what are the wicked pappies plotting now?