The number of Covid-19 cases in the Bukit Merah View Market and Food Centre cluster has grown to 39, after 14 more people who tested positive for the virus were linked to it by the Ministry of Health (MOH) yesterday.
This is even as the food centre and market at 115 Bukit Merah View remain closed until June 26, with the detection of more cases delaying its reopening, which had initially been slated for yesterday.
The 14 new cases in the cluster formed the bulk of the 16 linked cases yesterday, including an 82-year-old retiree whose illness was detected at a general practitioner's (GP) clinic and a 64-year-old taxi driver who frequently visited the food centre.
Five of the 14 were not in quarantine when they tested positive for the virus - three were detected through MOH's surveillance testing of those who work in or had visited the area, and two tested positive when they sought treatment at a GP clinic for respiratory symptoms.
Yesterday, MOH said that to date, 14 staff and vendors who work at the market and food centre - as well as five visitors to the venue and nearby shops - have tested positive so far.
A total of 1,017 test results for visitors are still pending. That is about a quarter of the more than 3,700 people who work in or had visited the area who have been tested.
MOH said:
• Of the 239 staff who work at the market and food centre, 14 have tested positive so far. They have all been in quarantine since June 12.
• All 144 owners, tenants and staff of shops and commercial units at the neighbouring 116 Bukit Merah View who were tested have been found negative for Covid-19.
• Of the 3,387 visitors to 115 and 116 Bukit Merah View who stepped forward for the free testing offered by the authorities, five have tested positive, 2,365 have tested negative, and 1,017 are awaiting results.
The tests for those who work at 116 Bukit Merah View were conducted at a temporary site at Block 125A, and were mandatory after the cluster at the neighbouring food centre and market was announced, to prevent wider, undetected community transmission.
Following public interest from those who had visited the market and after appeals from MPs, testing at the site was also opened up to residents and the site saw long queues.
Tanjong Pagar GRC MP Joan Pereira said volunteers from community organisation Project Care will continue to engage hawkers and stallholders to check on their well-being and assure them that they will receive help.
Volunteers will also continue to deliver cooked food to the elderly through contactless means, by buying hot meals from 116 Bukit Merah View's food and beverage outlets for them. Through doing so, they will make sure that the seniors are doing fine, Ms Pereira added.
"We have continued to engage our hawkers and stallholders to check on their well-being and assure them we will help them with their various needs," Ms Pereira wrote on Facebook.
"They would like me to convey their appreciation to the community for your concern and get-well wishes."
