Four new Covid-19 cases identified previously on July 30 to be linked to the Bukit Panjang Integrated Transport Hub, have been revealed to be bus drivers and interchange staff.

One is a Singaporean, and the other three are Work Permit holders.

SMRT stated on July 31 that these four cases involve two bus drivers and two interchange staff. The two drivers drove the bus service 972.

Tests showed that they were likely to have had past infections, but are no longer infectious.

All four are now isolated while awaiting instructions from the Ministry of Health (MOH).

Contact tracing carried out

According to a media statement by Margaret Teo, Chief Communications Officer of SMRT, the last time they were at work was on July 28 or 29.

They were asymptomatic.

MOH is conducting contact tracing, and employees who have been in close contact with the four individuals have been placed on leave of absence.

Teo added that canteens in the transport hub were previously closed for cleaning and disinfection, and have since reopened.

There are now a total of eight cases in the Bukit Panjang Integrated Transport Hub cluster.

The first four cases were reported on July 24 and are all bus drivers.

The drivers operated bus services 976, 184 and 176.

Here is SMRT's full statement:

“On 29 July, two bus captains (BCs) and two interchange staff from the Bukit Panjang Integrated Transport Hub (BPITH) tested positive for COVID-19. The test was done as part of the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) active screening of staff at BPITH following its announcement that the transport hub is a cluster. All four of the SMRT staff were asymptomatic and were last at work on 28 or 29 July. The two BCs drove bus service 972.

The four employees are currently doing well and are isolated while awaiting further instructions from MOH. We are offering them the necessary assistance and will continue to monitor their conditions closely.

Apart from the safe management measures implemented, additional measures such as the closure of the two canteens in BPITH have been taken. The premises and vehicles that our affected employees had been in contact with have been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. We have also started the contact tracing process with MOH. Employees who were in close contact with them have been placed on Leave of Absence (LOA) in collaboration with MOH.”

Top photo from Gini Gangadharan / Google Maps