SINGAPORE, May 11 — About 28,000 people have been tested for Covid-19 as part of efforts to contain Singapore’s largest active coronavirus cluster at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH).
Giving this update in a ministerial statement on the Government’s Covid-19 response, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong told Parliament today (May 11) that 12,500 individuals have been tested as part of special testing operations to detect cases linked to the cluster.
Another 12,000 staff members, 1,000 patients and nearly 2,500 people placed in quarantine have also undergone testing.
So far, the authorities have identified 43 infections among 10 hospital employees as well as 26 patients and seven visitors or their household members.
On April 27, a 46-year-old nurse in the hospital’s Ward 9D tested positive for Covid-19 after developing a cough, sore throat and body aches.
Soon afterwards, the authorities tested and isolated the ward’s staff members, as well as inpatients and visitors who had stayed at or visited the ward from April 20.
This was because a patient, who entered the ward on April 20, had shown Covid-19-type pneumonia symptoms.
Testing was later expanded to include all inpatients and staff working in the main ward block.
After this first round of testing, all other TTSH employees were screened.
Patients and staff from the main ward block were also tested a second time, with the testing effort later expanded to discharged patients and visitors who were in the hospital during the affected period.
Gan said: “We will continue to monitor the individuals who have been exposed, and retest them, where necessary, as some of them may be incubating the infection.”
Of the 43 cases, seven staff members and two patients had received both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.
They showed no or mild symptoms, and none needed oxygen support, said Mr Gan.
By contrast, of the 34 individuals who were not fully vaccinated, six needed oxygen, two are under intensive care and one has died from complications due to coronavirus.
Gan emphasised again that TTSH has rolled out a series of measures to prevent further transmission within the hospital.
Aside from locking down the affected wards, the hospital has stopped all new admissions, restricted visitors, and reinforced the importance of complying with infection control, hand hygiene and personal protective equipment guidelines among its employees.
Gan said that work is still under way to understand the source and course of the infection, and the authorities will provide more information when it is ready.
Since the cluster emerged, reports have emerged of TTSH health workers being shunned in public or refused services.
“I know this comes from a small minority of Singaporeans,” Gan said.
He added that TTSH employees have been working tirelessly and continue to do their best for patients, despite the stressful situation.
“I believe I speak for the great majority of Singaporeans, all of us at the Ministry of Health and everyone in this Chamber that we are all solidly behind you.” ― TODAY
