3 students, pre-schooler and hospital housekeeper among 18 community cases

Three students, a pre-schooler and a housekeeper at Sengkang General Hospital are among 18 new Covid-19 cases in the community announced yesterday.

The affected schools are Westwood Secondary School, Kranji Secondary School, Rulang Primary School and My First Skool at Block 211 Jurong East Street 21, said the Ministry of Health (MOH).

The Westwood Secondary School student, 15, is one of six unlinked cases.

He was last in school on May 18. He developed a fever and runny nose last Saturday and was tested for Covid-19 on Monday after seeking treatment at a polyclinic.

The other children are linked to previous cases.

The Kranji Secondary School student, 13, and the Rulang Primary School pupil, seven, are linked to the Jem and Westgate cluster, which has grown to 53 cases.

The 13-year-old was last in school on May 17, and the seven-year-old was last in school on May 14. Both developed symptoms on Sunday.

The pre-schooler, a six-year-old boy, is a family member of two previous cases and was placed on quarantine last Friday.

He is asymptomatic, and his infection was detected when he was tested for Covid-19 during quarantine.

The 27-year-old Sengkang General Hospital housekeeper developed a fever on Sunday and was tested for Covid-19 when he sought medical treatment at a polyclinic on Monday.

Also infected is a 29-year-old who works at Tiger Sugar bubble tea shop in Holland Piazza shopping mall. He is among the six patients whose infections are currently unlinked.

In community: 18

Imported: 9 (2 Singaporeans, 1 permanent resident, 1 dependant's pass holder, 1 work pass holder, 3 work permit holders, 1 short-term visit pass holder)

In dormitories: 3

New community cases in the past week: 176 (30 unlinked cases)

Active cases: 529

In hospitals: 250 (2 in ICU)

In community facilities: 279

Deaths: 32

Patients with Covid-19 who died from other causes: 15

Total discharged: 61,314

Discharged yesterday: 13

TOTAL CASES: 61,890

Of the community cases, 12 are linked to previous patients.

A delivery rider for Domino's Pizza in Tanjong Katong, a kitchen worker from the McDonald's outlet at Pasir Ris Elias Community Club and a kitchen worker from the McDonald's outlet in Bedok Reservoir were added to the cluster linked to McDonald's delivery riders.

The cluster now has 13 cases linked to it.

There were also three new clusters announced by MOH.

One of them is linked to the Harvest @ Woodlands dormitory after three cases were reported in the dorm yesterday.

They are roommates of a 46-year-old construction worker at H&W Communications who stays at the dormitory. He is the first detected case in the cluster, and was confirmed to have the virus last Saturday.

There were also nine imported cases placed on stay-home notice on arrival in Singapore, said MOH. The 30 new cases take Singapore's total to 61,890.

Separately, the ministry also said that 116 residents of and visitors to Block 559 Pasir Ris Street 51 have tested negative for Covid-19.

They were swabbed after four cases were detected in two different households there.

In total, 304 people who were in the building tested negative as at yesterday.

The number of new cases in the community has risen from 163 cases two weeks ago to 176 in the past week.

The number of unlinked cases in the community in a week has decreased from 37 cases to 30 over the same period.

With 13 patients discharged yesterday, 61,314 patients have fully recovered from the disease.

A total of 250 patients remain in hospital, including two in critical condition in the intensive care unit, while 279 are recuperating in community facilities.