Coronavirus: Mega Covid-19 facility being built at Tanjong Pagar Terminal to house up to 15,000 people
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Tee Zhuo
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Published Apr 23, 2020, 05:45 PM
Updated Apr 24, 2020, 04:42 PM
SINGAPORE - A large facility is being set up at Tanjong Pagar Terminal to potentially house Covid-19 patients and foreign workers, as the number of coronavirus cases in Singapore continues to increase.
The Straits Times understands that when completed, the mega temporary structure could accommodate up to 15,000 people. ST has contacted the authorities for more information.
Over the last few days, regular visits to the site have shown large marquees being set up with cherry pickers in the area. There are also multiple rows of cars.
Trucks carrying building materials could also be seen entering the terminal, which has been vacant since port operations relocated.
As of Wednesday (April 22), at least five or six rows of tents have already been set up at the terminal. Much of the terminal's operations were moved out as early as 2017, as part of plans for a future mega port in Tuas.
Over the last few weeks, the Government has been clearing and preparing various locations to house healthy foreign workers to curb the spread of the virus in worker dormitories or to convert them into community isolation sites.
The community isolation facilities are meant to house recovering Covid-19 patients and those with milder symptoms, and include the Singapore Expo, Changi Exhibition Centre, and D'Resort NTUC in Pasir Ris.
All of the 10,000 foreign workers in essential services living in purpose-built dormitories have been moved into 18 alternative living areas such as military camps, floating hotels, sports halls and vacant Housing Board blocks.
One for the two floating facilitaties used to temporarily house foreign workers at the Tanjong Pagar terminal which is being relocated to Tuas port on 20 April 2020. The sheltered marquee set up in the foreground might possibly be the next location of temporary accommodation for foreign workers.
PHOTO: ST
Workers setting up marquees at the Tanjong Pagar terminal which is being relocated to Tuas port on 20 April 2020. It might possibly be the next location of temporary accommodation for foreign workers.
PHOTO: ST
<p>ST20200420_202082083427 Kua Chee Siong/ pixcbgenerics/ Generic pix of the SuperStar Gemini cruise ship docked at the Marina Bay Cruise Centre with a rows of cars parked in the foreground at the Tanjong Pagar Terminal on 20 April 2020 during the month-long "circuit breaker" period of heightened safe-distancing measures to prevent an escalation of infections of COVID-19.</p>
PHOTO: ST
Cruise ships are also being considered to house the workers. One such ship is the SuperStar Gemini, currently berthed at Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore near the Tanjong Pagar Terminal site.
