Senior research fellow at NUS one of two Covid-19 cases in the community

The NUS senior research fellow went to work on April 12, 2021, after serving his SHN, before experiencing symptoms that evening. PHOTO: ST FILE

SINGAPORE - A senior research fellow at the National University of Singapore (NUS) was one of two Covid-19 cases in the community reported on Friday (April 16).

This is the first time since March 3 that two new cases in the community were reported on the same day.

The 34-year-old Indian national went to work on Monday (April 12) before he experienced an onset of Covid-19 symptoms that evening, said the Ministry of Health (MOH).

Monday was his first day back at work after serving stay-home notice (SHN) and quarantine following a trip to India from Dec 28 to March 21.

During his SHN, he was identified as a close contact of a previously reported case as they had been on the same flight to Singapore.

He was then quarantined at a dedicated facility from March 24 to April 11.

His three tests done during quarantine on March 25, April 3 and April 10 were all negative.

The work pass holder also previously tested negative for the virus on March 19 before flying from India, and when he arrived in Singapore on March 21.

After feeling fatigued on Monday evening, he had a sore throat and body aches the next day. He stayed home.

On Wednesday, he developed a fever and went to a polyclinic.

He took a Covid-19 test there, which came back positive the next day, and he was taken to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases in an ambulance.

His serology test has come back negative, indicating that this is a current infection, said MOH.

The second community case is a 44-year-old Indonesian man on a short-term visit pass to care for his father, who is receiving medical treatment for a condition unrelated to Covid-19. He arrived from Indonesia on Feb 28, and served SHN at a dedicated facility until March 14.

His Covid-19 test during SHN on March 13 was negative, as were his tests before flying and upon arriving in Singapore.

He is asymptomatic and his infection was detected when he took a pre-departure test on Wednesday, ahead of his flight back to Indonesia. He was taken to the hospital.

MOH added that epidemiological investigations into both cases are ongoing, and that their family and co-workers have been isolated and quarantined.

The ministry reported 32 other cases on Friday - all of which were imported - for a total of 34 cases.

The latest cases took Singapore's tally up to 60,769.

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