Virgin Active shuts outlet after two positive virus tests

The Virgin Active Singapore gym chain closed its Tanjong Pagar outlet for four days from yesterday after two members tested positive for the coronavirus.

In a press statement yesterday, it said the facility had carried out a "deep clean and thorough disinfection", and that all common areas, such as lifts and toilets, are also being treated in accordance with Ministry of Health (MOH) guidelines.

The MOH has confirmed that the outlet can continue operations, but Virgin Active decided to close it as a precautionary measure.

The outlet will resume operations next Monday.

The fitness company, which has five other outlets, said the first infected member had visited its Tanjong Pagar facility on Monday, while the other was at the same location on Monday and Tuesday. Both members did not take part in any group exercise classes. The MOH confirmed that the two cases are currently not linked to each other.

The Ministry is also conducting detailed contact tracing on all employees, members, freelancers and other parties that the affected persons may have come in contact with. Virgin Active said it will continue to monitor the situation.

At least 10 gyms in Singapore, including Fitness First, F45 and True Fitness have this week issued notices via e-mail or on their social media pages informing members of hygiene measures at their premises and urging members to practise social responsibility.

These measures include temperature taking, health and travel declarations and increasing cleaning frequency.

Level gym, which has two branches at Telok Ayer and Robinson Road, will stop conducting its HIIT, strength and conditioning classes from today till April 2 as a precautionary measure "to ensure we are doing our part to halt the spread of infection in our community", it said in an e-mail to clients.

Personal training sessions will continue, but clients can only train at one studio.

Sport Singapore, which operates the ActiveSG gyms islandwide, said last week that regulated access would be implemented according to the gym's size and that notices would be displayed and queue numbers issued if it was at full capacity. Programmes conducted at ActiveSG studios will also be held outdoors.