Bukit Merah View market is new Covid-19 cluster; all staff and tenants quarantined, visitors offered free testing

SINGAPORE — All workers and tenants at 115 Bukit Merah View Market and Food Centre have been placed on quarantine, due to the likelihood of an ongoing transmission of Covid-19 among people who work there, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Sunday (June 13).

The ministry added that it is investigating six cases of coronavirus infection among people who work at there.

"In order to disrupt any wider, undetected community transmission, we will conduct special testing operations for all staff and tenants who have been working in 116 Bukit Merah View from May 25." 

​As for visitors who had been to 115 and 116 Bukit Merah View between May 25 and June 12, they should monitor their health closely and minimise social interactions as far as possible, for 14 days from their date of visit.

They are encouraged to see a doctor immediately if they feel unwell.

Free testing is also extended to these visitors.

They may go to any Swab and Send Home Public Health Preparedness Clinics near their homes or the clinics and selected regional screening centres listed on MOH's website.

MOH also advised all visitors to 115 and 116 Bukit Merah View between the specified dates to monitor their health closely, and minimise social interactions as far as possible, for 14 days from their date of visit. They are encouraged to see a doctor immediately if they feel unwell.

The market and food centre has been closed to all members of the public from Sunday to Tuesday.

Four patients from the cluster were among the 10 community cases registered on Sunday.

Two of these cases have no known source of infection: A 23-year-old male India national who works as a nursing aide at All Saints Home in Hougang and a 27-year-old male India national who works as an engineer at Ecoxplore.

Another two cases have been linked to the engineer. They comprise a 19-year-old Singaporean woman who works as a warehouse assistant at logistics firm DHL Express and a 39-year-old Singaporean woman who is employed by Cleen First Services as a cleaner at Emerald Park condominium near Havelock Road.

There were three imported cases recorded on Sunday. Two of them are permanent residents who returned from India, while the other is a foreign domestic worker who arrived from Indonesia.

Overall, the number of new cases in the community has dropped from 116 cases in the week before to 36 in the past week.

The number of unlinked cases in the community has also decreased from 17 cases in the week before to 15 in the past week.

The total number of Covid-19 cases here is now 62,276.

A total of 31 patients were discharged on Sunday, bringing the total who have fully recovered to 61,869.

There are 130 patients in hospital. Most of them are stable or improving, except for one who is in critical condition under intensive care.

Another 243 people who have mild symptoms, or are clinically well but still test positive, are isolated at community facilities.

Thirty-four people have died from complications due to the disease.