The Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed 35 new cases of Covid-19 in Singapore on Thursday (Apr. 29).

This brings the total number of cases to 61,121.

Amongst the new cases today, 28 are asymptomatic, and were detected from proactive screening and surveillance, while seven were symptomatic.

16 community cases

There are 16 cases in the community today, of whom 15 are linked to previous cases and one is currently unlinked.

Case 62541 Cluster

Eight more cases are linked to Case 62541, with a total of nine cases detected so far in the cluster.

Of these, three are Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) staff, and six are patients who were warded in Ward 9D.

Epidemiological investigations and contact tracing are ongoing.

Case 62557

Case 62557 is a 30-year-old male Singapore Permanent Resident who is a doctor at TTSH.

He had attended to patients in Ward 9D but had not gone to work after onset of symptoms.

He developed a fever on April 27 and sore throat the next day, and sought medical treatment at a General Practitioner clinic on the same day, where he was tested for Covid-19.

His test result came back positive the next day, and he was conveyed to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) in an ambulance.

His serological test result has come back negative, indicating that this is likely a current infection.

He received his first dose of Covid-19 vaccine on January 18, and the second dose on February 8.

Case 62599

Case 62599 is an 18-year-old female Singaporean who is a healthcare assistant trainee at TTSH, and was deployed at Ward 9D.

She is asymptomatic and was detected on April 28 as part of TTSH’s proactive testing of patients and staff in Ward 9D following the confirmation of Case 62541.

Her test came back positive for Covid-19 infection on the same day, and she was conveyed to NCID in an ambulance. Her serological test result has come back negative.

Case 62561

Case 62561 is a 57-year-old male Singaporean who is a patient at TTSH, and was initially warded in Ward 7D, before being transferred to Ward 9D.

He developed a fever on April 16 but did not seek medical treatment.

On April 18, as his fever persisted, and he had developed a runny nose and cough, he sought treatment at TTSH’s emergency department.

He was tested for Covid-19 infection and his test result was negative.

He was subsequently warded in Ward 7D then transferred to Ward 9D on April 20. As he had persistent fever, he was reviewed by an infectious diseases physician, and transferred to an isolation ward on April 27.

On April 28, he tested positive for Covid-19 infection and was transferred to NCID. His serological test result has come back negative.

Other five cases from TTSH cluster

Cases 62567, 62568, 62573, 62574 and 62582 are patients warded at TTSH’s Ward 9D, and were detected after patients in Ward 9D were tested for Covid-19.

Amongst them, three are asymptomatic, while Cases 62567 and 62568 developed fever and/or acute respiratory infection (ARI) symptoms on April 25 and April 28 respectively.

Lockdown of Wards 7D and 9D

TTSH has locked down both Ward 7D and Ward 9D.

Testing for staff and patients who have been in both wards is still in progress. All close contacts of the cases, including patients, visitors and staff who have been in the affected wards, will also be placed on quarantine.

As a precautionary measure, all patients and staff in other TTSH wards will also be tested for Covid-19 infection, including those who are asymptomatic.

TTSH has also taken additional steps to minimise the risks of transmission.

Staff and patient movement in all the main wards has been minimised to prevent any cross-infection. From April 29, no visitors will be allowed into the hospital except for critically ill patients.

During this period, elective cases will be deferred except for those that are urgent, and A&E cases that are non-life-threatening will be redirected to other hospitals.

Case 62517 Cluster

Seven more cases are linked to the Case 62517 cluster. Case 62517 is an Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officer who was deployed at Changi Airport.

They are all family members of the case, and had already been placed on quarantine earlier.

The eight of them had gathered for a meal on April 25, where transmission was likely to have taken place.

Case 62571

Case 62571 is a 39-year-old male Singaporean who works as a security officer at ION Orchard, and private hire car driver.

His last day at work was April 27.

He is a family member of Case 62517, and had interacted with him over dinner on April 25.

As he had been identified as a close contact of 62517, he was placed on quarantine on April 27. He developed a cough on April 28 but did not report his symptom.

On the same day, he was tested for Covid-19 during quarantine and his test result came back positive for Covid-19 infection.

Case 62572

Case 62572 is a three-year-old male Singaporean who last attended school on April 22.

He is the nephew of Case 62517, and had interacted with him on April 25. As he had been identified as a close contact of 62517, he was placed on quarantine on April 27.

He developed a fever on April 28 and his parents reported his symptom.

On the same day, he was tested for Covid-19 during quarantine and his test result came back positive.

He was conveyed in an ambulance to the National University Hospital on April 29.

Case 62576

Case 62576 is a 33-year-old female Singaporean who is a housewife.

She is a family member of Case 62517, and had interacted with him over dinner on April 25.

As she had been identified as a close contact of 62517, she was placed on quarantine on April 27.

She is asymptomatic, but was tested for Covid-19 during quarantine and her test result came back positive.

Case 62583

Case 62583 is a 32-year-old female Singaporean who works as a nurse at TTSH.

She is the spouse of Case 62517.

As she had been identified as his close contact, she was placed on quarantine on April 28.

She is asymptomatic, but was tested for Covid-19 during quarantine and her test result came back positive.

She does not work in Ward 9D or Ward 7D.

Based on our epidemiological investigation, there is no link between Case 62583 and the TTSH cluster. However, the testing of all staff in TTSH wards will serve as an additional check on this.

Case 62594

Case 62594 is a 72-year-old male Singaporean who is a retiree.

He is the parent of Case 62517, and lives in the same household as him.

As he had been identified as his close contact, he was placed on quarantine on April 27.

He is asymptomatic, but was tested for Covid-19 during quarantine and his test result came back positive.

Case 62595

Case 62595 is a 65-year-old male Singaporean who works as a telephone operator at Goodwood Park Hotel.

His last day of work was April 27. He is a family member of Case 62517, and had interacted with him over dinner on April 25.

As he had been identified as a close contact of 62517, he was placed on quarantine on April 27.

He is asymptomatic, but was tested for Covid-19 during quarantine and his test result came back positive.

Case 62597

Case 62597 is a 38-year-old male Singaporean who works as a technical officer at SP PowerGrid.

He is a family member of Case 62517, and had interacted with him over dinner on April 25.

As he had been identified as a close contact of 62517, he was placed on quarantine on April 27.

He developed a cough and body aches on April 28.

On the same day, he was tested for Covid-19 during quarantine and his test result came back positive the next day.

Unlinked community case

Case 62553 is a 39-year-old female Vietnam national who works as a cleaner employed by Octo Jet Building Maintenance Services Pte Ltd, and deployed at a community care facility at Tuas South.

At work, she dons full personal protection equipment (PPE), including N95 mask, face shield, gown and gloves.

She also periodically helps out at a food stall at The Summit located at the National University of Singapore’s Bukit Timah campus.

She is asymptomatic, and was detected when she was tested on April 26 as part of Rostered Routine Testing (RRT).

Her pooled test result came back positive for Covid-19 the next day, and she was conveyed in an ambulance to NCID.

An individual test was done on April 27, and her test result came back positive for Covid-19 infection.

Her earlier tests from RRT – the last being on April 14 – were all negative for Covid-19 infection.

Her serology test result has come back positive.

She received her first dose of Covid-19 vaccine on January 27, and the second dose on February 19.

MOH said that while the Covid-19 vaccine is effective in preventing symptomatic disease for the vast majority of those vaccinated, it is possible for vaccinated individuals to get infected.

19 imported cases

There are 19 imported cases reported today.

Amongst the cases:

• Two are Singaporeans and nine are Singapore Permanent Residents who returned from India and South Korea.
• Three are Dependant’s Pass holders who arrived from India and Sri Lanka.
• Five are Work Permit holders who arrived from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia and the Philippines, of whom one is a foreign domestic worker.

They had all already been placed on SHN or isolated upon arrival in Singapore and were tested while serving SHN or during isolation.

20 more cases discharged

20 more cases of Covid-19 infection have been discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities.

Here are more local Covid-19 statistics:

• 60,738 have fully recovered and have been discharged
• 110 are still in hospital, none is in the intensive care unit
• 243 are isolated at community facilities
• 30 have passed away from complications due to Covid-19 infection

Top photo by TTSH/FB