SINGAPORE - The residents of Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) Christalite Methodist Home who tested positive for Covid-19 are recovering in hospitals and community care facilities.

Its spokesman told The Straits Times on Monday (Oct 11) that infected employees are recovering in government quarantine facilities.

The welfare home cluster has 91 cases as at last Saturday's update from the Ministry of Health (MOH). MOH had said 84 were residents and seven were employees. The first case was confirmed on Sept 27.

This is the largest welfare home cluster so far, said a Ministry of Social and Family Development spokesman.

The second largest cluster is Acacia Home, with 17 cases - 15 residents and two employees - in April 2020.

An MWS spokesman said almost all its infected residents and staff are asymptomatic or have only mild symptoms.

Residents on its day-release scheme have also not been allowed to head out for work since June 18, said the spokesman.

The scheme enables residents to work outside the home to prepare them for reintegration into the community.

Social outings for residents have also been suspended since May 8 and visits to the home have been halted since Sept 13.

The spokesman added that the home has been on lockdown since it was informed of its first Covid-19-positive case and new admissions have also been suspended since.

Admissions will be reviewed after the lockdown is lifted, said the spokesman.

All activities have been suspended except for those related to providing critical care.

Said the spokesman: "As some staff were also infected, the remaining staff are working longer hours but managing to care for the residents still in the home and to implement the necessary mitigation measures."

All routine medical check-ups have been postponed and only residents who need renal dialysis, require emergency and urgent medical attention, or need to attend to important housing matters for reintegration into community may leave the home.

The spokesman said these restrictions are in line with precautionary measures set by the Ministry of Social and Family Development and MOH.