Covid-19 testing operation of Pasir Ris housing block yields no cases as of May 24

SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Health (MOH) on Monday (May 24) said that an ongoing Covid-19 test of residents at a public housing block in Pasir Ris and their visitors has not found any infected persons so far.

Giving an update on the progress of the testing operation, it said that 285 residents and visitors of Block 559 on Pasir Ris Street 51 have been tested for Covid-19 as of noon on Monday. 

Of these, 188 people have tested negative for the coronavirus, while the results of 97 others are pending.

“So far, no one has tested positive for Covid-19,” it said.

The authorities carried out the testing after four Covid-19 cases from two different households were detected in the block.

The four cases include the 88-year-old Singaporean man who is employed by Ramky Cleantech Services as a cleaner at Changi Airport Terminal 3. He was confirmed to have Covid-19 on May 5. The Changi Airport cluster is the largest community cluster in Singapore thus far, with 108 cases reported as of Sunday.

Residents were then notified by MOH to undergo a swab test at a regional screening centre set up at the former Coral Primary School on May 23 and 24.

On Sunday night, MOH had said that 188 individuals had been tested, with 155 individuals found negative and 33 more test results pending. 

The mass swabbing comes shortly after residents living in Block 506 on Hougang Avenue 8 went through mandatory Covid-19 tests last Friday and Saturday. 

On Sunday, MOH said that it had concluded the Covid-19 testing of the affected block in Hougang and two people have been found to be infected with the coronavirus.

The two were added to the nine positive cases that prompted the authorities to test all residents of and visitors to the block.