533 new Covid-19 patients diagnosed, new cluster at Tuas dorm

SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Health (MOH) on Wednesday (May 27) said that it had identified a new cluster of infections at a dormitory located at 38 Tuas View Square, confirming as well that there are 533 new cases of Covid-19 on the day.

It also listed more public places visited by people later found to have been infected with Covid-19. These places exclude residences, workplaces, healthcare facilities and public transport.

They include:

• NTUC FairPrice Finest supermarket at Bukit Panjang Plaza on May 24 between 12pm and 12.30pm.

• NTUC FairPrice supermarket at Hillion Mall in Bukit Panjang on May 24 between 12.30pm and 1pm.

• Jurong West 505 Market and Food Centre at 505 Jurong West Street 52 on May 17 between 9am and 9.30am and again on on May 25 between 11am and 12pm.

These patients had visited the locations during the time when they were infectious.

Of the 533 new infections, four are cases in the community: Three are Singaporeans and one is a work pass holder.

The work pass holder is a 33-year-old Chinese national who had no links to previously confirmed cases and he had gone to work at 19 Pandan Road, Tuas Terminal Phase 1 and Jurong Port after the onset of symptoms.

MOH also said that the number of new cases in the community has gone up, from an average of five cases a day in the week before, to an average of six a day in the past week.

It added that the number of cases in the community with no known source of infection has also increased, from an average of one a day in the week before, to an average of two a day in the past week.

“This is partly due to our active surveillance and screening of nursing home residents and preschool staff, which have picked up more cases in the past week,” it said, adding that it will continue to closely monitor these numbers, as well as the cases detected through its surveillance programme.

The remaining 529 infections were linked to the foreign workers residing in dormitories.

There were no imported cases announced on Wednesday.

UPDATE ON THE REST OF THE CASES

In all, 17,276 patients of the 32,876 confirmed cases in Singapore have fully recovered and have been discharged from hospitals or community care facilities, including the 832 on Wednesday.

There are still 525 patients in hospitals. Of these, most are stable or improving, and seven are in critical condition under intensive care.

MOH said that 15,052 patients are isolated and cared for at community facilities. These are those who have mild symptoms, or are clinically well but still test positive for Covid-19.

Twenty-three people have died from complications due to Covid-19.