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The third unlinked case is a 42-year-old Malaysian man who works as an operating theatre technician at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH).
He returned to Singapore on Jan 10 after a trip to Malaysia, and served his stay-home notice until Jan 24. His test taken on Jan 23 during the stay-home notice period was negative for COVID-19.
He developed a cough on Apr 21, but did not seek medical treatment, said MOH. His cough worsened and on May 10, he sought medical treatment at the hospital’s staff clinic, where he was tested for COVID-19. His test result came back positive on the same day.
"His Ct value was very high, which is indicative of a low viral load and his serology test result has come back positive. He could be shedding minute fragments of the virus RNA from a past infection which are no longer transmissible and infective to others," said the Health Ministry.
"However given that we are not able to definitively conclude when he had been infected, we will take all the necessary public health actions as a precautionary measure."
In a Facebook post early on Wednesday morning, JurongHealth Campus said it has "taken the necessary safety precautions including disinfecting all areas which the staff has been in contact with".
The man is currently warded in an isolation room at the hospital, and his household contacts have been swabbed, JurongHealth Campus added.
He has not been in contact with any known clusters or Tan Tock Seng Hospital staff.
"We will continue to provide full support to our colleague and continue to enforce strict precautionary measures and infection control protocols to keep our patients, visitors and staff safe."
He returned to Singapore on Jan 10 after a trip to Malaysia, and served his stay-home notice until Jan 24. His test taken on Jan 23 during the stay-home notice period was negative for COVID-19.
He developed a cough on Apr 21, but did not seek medical treatment, said MOH. His cough worsened and on May 10, he sought medical treatment at the hospital’s staff clinic, where he was tested for COVID-19. His test result came back positive on the same day.
"His Ct value was very high, which is indicative of a low viral load and his serology test result has come back positive. He could be shedding minute fragments of the virus RNA from a past infection which are no longer transmissible and infective to others," said the Health Ministry.
"However given that we are not able to definitively conclude when he had been infected, we will take all the necessary public health actions as a precautionary measure."
In a Facebook post early on Wednesday morning, JurongHealth Campus said it has "taken the necessary safety precautions including disinfecting all areas which the staff has been in contact with".
The man is currently warded in an isolation room at the hospital, and his household contacts have been swabbed, JurongHealth Campus added.
He has not been in contact with any known clusters or Tan Tock Seng Hospital staff.
"We will continue to provide full support to our colleague and continue to enforce strict precautionary measures and infection control protocols to keep our patients, visitors and staff safe."
