Covid-19: Foreign worker at SCM Tuas Lodge dorm among 3 locally transmitted cases

• There were 39 cases of Covid-19 reported on April 23, including three locally transmitted ones
• One was a 21-year-old Indian national who had completed his vaccination
• Another was a 33-year-old Indonesian who is a seafarer
• A third was a 38-year-old Indonesian here for a work project
• There were 36 imported cases, all of whom were isolated on arrival

SINGAPORE — A foreign worker staying at the SCM Tuas Lodge dormitory is one of three locally transmitted cases of Covid-19 reported by the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Friday (April 23).

The remaining 36 are imported cases.

The worker, a 21-year-old Indian national, had completed his vaccination and is employed by Sembcorp Marine Integrated Yard.

The man works at the Sembcorp Marine Tuas Boulevard Yard.

He did not have any symptoms and was detected when he was tested on April 19 as part of the ministry’s routine testing of workers.

His pooled test result came back positive for Covid-19 and he was immediately isolated.

An individual test was done on April 20 and he was confirmed to have the coronavirus on April 21.

“His earlier tests from (the routine testing) — the last being on April 12 — were all negative for Covid-19. His serology test result (for past infection) has come back positive,” MOH said.

The man had received his first dose of vaccine on March 11 and the second on April 1.

MOH said that this likely accounted for his lack of symptoms and positive serology test result.

“The Covid-19 vaccine is effective in preventing symptomatic disease for the vast majority of those vaccinated, but it is possible for vaccinated individuals to get infected. Further research is required to determine if the vaccination will also prevent onward transmission of the infection,” it reiterated.

TWO CASES IN THE COMMUNITY

There were two cases in the community, both of whom are Indonesian men.

MOH said that the first case is a 33-year-old who is a seafarer on board a bunker tanker. He had arrived by flight from Indonesia on Feb 4 and served his stay-home notice at a dedicated facility until Feb 18.

“His on-arrival test on Feb 4 was negative for Covid-19, as was his test taken during his stay-home notice on Feb 17. He boarded a vessel on Feb 18 and had not disembarked except to go for Covid-19 vaccination,” MOH said.

The man did not have any symptoms and was detected when he was tested onboard on April 20 as part of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore’s protocol to test sea crew.

He was confirmed to have Covid-19 on April 21 and he was taken to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) where his serology test result has come back positive.

The man had received his first dose of Covid-19 vaccination on April 16.

“As the vaccine does not contain live virus, he could not have been infected due to vaccination. It is possible for one to be infected just before or just after vaccination as it typically takes a few weeks for an individual to build up immunity after completing vaccination,” MOH said.

The other case in the community is a 38-year-old short-term-visit pass holder who is here for a work project.

He arrived from Indonesia on March 28 and served his stay-home notice until April 11.

His on-arrival test, as well as a swab taken during quarantine on April 10, were negative for the coronavirus.

The man, who did not show any symptoms, was detected when he took a Covid-19 pre-departure test on April 22 in preparation for his trip back to Indonesia.

His test result came back positive on the same day and he was taken to Mount Elizabeth Hospital.

“His serology test result has come back positive. He received his first dose of Covid-19 vaccine on March 4, and the second dose on March 18 in Indonesia,” MOH said.

IMPORTED CASES

There were 36 imported cases of Covid-19 registered on Friday and all had been placed on stay-home notices upon their arrival here, MOH said.

They were:

• Nine Singaporeans and seven permanent residents who returned from India, Indonesia, the Netherlands and Papua New Guinea

• Three dependant’s pass holders who arrived from India and Nepal

• Three student's pass holders who came from India

• Four work pass holders who arrived from India, the Maldives and Nepal

• Nine work permit holders who came from India, Indonesia and the Philippines — six of whom are foreign domestic workers

• One short-term visit pass holder who arrived from India to visit his family member

UPDATE ON REMAINING CASES

The total number of infections in Singapore is now 60,943.

Of these, 60,613 people have fully recovered and been discharged, including 10 on Friday.

There are still 80 patients in hospitals. Of these, most are stable or improving, and one is in critical condition under intensive care, MOH said.

Another 220 patients are isolated at community facilities. They have mild symptoms or are clinically well but still tested positive for Covid-19.

Thirty people have died from complications due to the disease.