Crew aboard ship with Covid-19 cluster did not disembark in Singapore aside from those certified healthy: MPA

SINGAPORE — Crew members aboard a ship with a Covid-19 cluster that arrived in Singapore from Malaysia in August did not disembark aside from those certified healthy, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said on Wednesday (Sept 2).

On Monday, Malaysia's health ministry reported a new Covid-19 cluster involving crew members of a ship that travelled from Singapore which called at Port Dickson in Negeri Sembilan state.

All 36 crew members on board were tested on Aug 28, with four testing positive for Covid-19. The four confirmed cases comprise two Malaysians and two non-citizens.

"MPA understands that the ship in Port Dickson with four crew members tested positive for Covid-19 has been in Malaysia since Aug 16," it said in response to queries by CNA.

"This ship arrived in Singapore from Port Dickson on Aug 13 for bunkering and resupply and departed Singapore on Aug 15. Since Aug 16, MPA understands that the ship shuttled between Port of Kerteh, Malaysia and Port Dickson for cargo operations.

"The ship has been in Port Dickson since Aug 26 with 11 new crew members signed-on to the ship on Aug 27."

During its time in Singapore from Aug 13 to 15, six crew members who were certified healthy signed off and returned home, said MPA.

"The remaining crew members did not disembark from the ship. There was one sign-on crew in Singapore. He was isolated for 14 days and tested negative before leaving for Singapore.

"He was transported directly from the airport to the vessel," said MPA, adding that he was not among the four crew members tested positive.

Malaysia's director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said as the confirmed cases were an "isolated" imported cluster on a ship, there was no risk of infection to the community. CNA

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