Special Covid-19 testing for some staff at Changi Airport after more contagious UK strain found in 3 community cases

SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Health (MOH) will start a special Covid-19 testing operation for staff members who, from Dec 31 last year, had worked at Jewel Changi Airport and at its Terminal 3 shops. This is after three previously reported community cases tested positive for the more contagious British variant of the coronavirus.

MOH said that whole genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis conducted by the National Public Health Laboratory had revealed that the previously reported cases — including a 24-year-old South Korean work permit holder who works at the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport hotel — have tested positive for the variant first found in the United Kingdom, officially known as the B117 strain.

The cases could be linked, MOH added.

The ministry had previously said that the man had earlier tested “preliminarily positive” for the more contagious strain. 

The other two cases are a Singaporean man who works at the Singapore Scouts Association and his wife who works at OCBC Tampines Centre One. The couple, both aged 39, tested positive for Covid-19 on Jan 15. 

MOH said that epidemiological investigations found that the couple had visited Jewel Changi Airport on Dec 31 between 2.35pm and 9.50pm, while the South Korean man was at Changi Airport Terminal 3 that same day between 7.48pm and 8.49pm.

“As a precautionary measure, MOH will commence a special testing operation to offer testing for staff who have been working from Dec 31 at Jewel Changi Airport, and at the shops and food establishments that are open to the public at Changi Airport Terminal 3.”