Singapore reports 12 new COVID-19 cases, nine linked to SAFRA Jurong cluster

SINGAPORE: Singapore on Sunday (Mar 8) confirmed another 12 cases of COVID-19, including nine linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster.

The cluster, which involved a private dinner function held at the Joy Garden restaurant in SAFRA Jurong on Feb 15, now has a total of 30 cases, said the Ministry of Health (MOH).

Of the three other new cases reported on Sunday, one is linked to a previous case, one is an Indonesian national and another has no links to current cases yet, said the ministry. 

The latest infections bring Singapore’s total number of COVID-19 cases to 150.

READ: Singapore must prepare mentally for spike in COVID-19 cases, update stockpile, supply chain strategy: Chan Chun Sing

Ninety cases have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged from hospitals. 

Sixty patients remain warded, and most are in a “stable or improving” condition, said MOH. Nine are in critical condition in the intensive care unit.

NEW CASES

CASE 139 – SAFRA JURONG CLUSTER

Case 139 is a 71-year-old Singaporean man who is a family member of Cases 140 and 142, and is linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster.

He reported the onset of symptoms on Mar 3 and sought treatment at a general practitioner clinic on Mar 5. He presented at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH) on Mar 6, and tests confirmed the infection the following day.

He lives at Jurong West Street 81, and has not travelled recently to coronavirus-affected countries and regions. Prior to being admitted to hospital, he mostly stayed at home, said MOH. 

CASE 140 – SAFRA JURONG CLUSTER 

Case 140 is a 62-year-old Singaporean woman who is a family member of Cases 139 and 142, and is linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster.

She reported the onset of symptoms on Feb 28 and sought treatment at a GP clinic on Feb 29 and Mar 5. She presented at NTFGH on Mar 6, and the infection was confirmed the following day.

She lives at Jurong West Street 81, and has not travelled recently to affected countries and regions. Prior to being admitted to hospital, she had gone to work at Landom Distributions at 31 Jurong Port Road.

READ: Some activities at 7 CCs and 8 RCs suspended over links to SAFRA Jurong COVID-19 cluster

CASE 141 – LINK UNKNOWN

Case 141 is a 69-year-old Singaporean man who is a cleaner at Nanyang Technological University’s (NTU) Innovation Centre. 

He lives at Jurong West Street 64, and has not travelled recently to affected countries and regions. 

He reported symptoms on Mar 1 and went to a clinic on Mar 3 and 6. He was taken in an ambulance to NTFGH on Mar 6, where tests confirmed the infection on Mar 7.

In response to CNA’s queries, NTU said the man, who is employed by one of the university’s contractors, was last on campus on Mar 3.

The university said it conducted contact tracing and confirmed that the man did not have any contact with students, or “sustained contact” with NTU staff in the course of his work on Mar 2 and 3. 

“His duties are to clean at the NTU Innovation Centre (previously SIMTech Tower Block) and his activities were limited to the ground floor restrooms and external area of the building,” said an NTU spokesperson. 

“Those areas have since been thoroughly disinfected, and his co-workers from the same cleaning company that he had come into close contact with have also been placed on leave of absence,” he added. 

CASE 142 – SAFRA JURONG CLUSTER

Case 142 is a 26-year-old Singaporean man who is a family member of Cases 139 and 140, and is linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster.

He reported the onset of symptoms on Mar 5, and presented at NTFGH on Mar 6, where he tested positive for COVID-19 on Mar 7.

He lives at Jurong West Street 81, and has not travelled recently to affected countries and regions. Prior to being admitted to hospital, he had gone to work at First Page Digital Singapore and visited The Aperia Mall.  

CASE 143 – LINK TO PREVIOUS CASE

Case 143 is a 42-year-old Singapore permanent resident (PR) who was in Thailand from Mar 4 to 6.

He lives at Tanglin Road and is a family member of a likely imported case, Patient 132 – a 37-year-old Singapore PR who had been in London before she fell ill. 

He reported the onset of symptoms on Mar 5 while he was in Thailand. He returned to Singapore the following day and went directly to the National University Hospital from Changi Airport. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Mar 7.

READ: ‘Like an invisible criminal’: How police helped find missing link between COVID-19 church clusters in a day

CASE 144 – SAFRA JURONG CLUSTER

Case 144 is a 58-year-old Singaporean woman who is a contact of Case 140, and is linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster. 

She reported the onset of symptoms on Mar 3 and sought treatment at a clinic on the same day, and again on Mar 5. She presented to NTFGH on Mar 7, and was confirmed to have the infection on the same day.

She is a hairdresser at her home at Jurong West Street 74, and had attended to customers after the onset of symptoms.

She has not travelled recently to affected countries and regions. 

CASE 145 – SAFRA JURONG CLUSTER

Case 145 is a 67-year-old Singaporean woman who is a contact of Cases 107 and 134, and is linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster.

She was confirmed to have COVID-19 on Mar 8, and is currently warded at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).

She has not travelled recently to affected countries and regions.

CASE 146 – SAFRA JURONG CLUSTER

Case 146 is a 64-year-old Singaporean woman who is a contact of Case 134, and is linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster.

She was confirmed to have COVID-19 on Mar 8, and is currently warded at NCID. 

She has not travelled recently to affected countries and regions.

CASE 147 – INDONESIAN NATIONAL

Case 147 is an imported case involving a 64-year-old Indonesian man who arrived in Singapore on Mar 7. 

He was confirmed to have the infection on Mar 8, and is currently warded at NCID.

CASE 148 – SAFRA JURONG CLUSTER

Case 148 is a 67-year-old Singaporean woman who is a contact of Case 107, and is linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster.

She was confirmed to have COVID-19 on Mar 8, and is currently warded at NCID. 

She was in Indonesia from Feb 11 to 14.

CASE 149 – SAFRA JURONG CLUSTER

Case 149 is a 62-year-old Singaporean man who is linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster.

He was confirmed to have COVID-19 on Mar 8, and is currently warded at NCID. 

He has not travelled recently to affected countries and regions.

CASE 150 – SAFRA JURONG CLUSTER

Case 150 is a 53-year-old Singapore PR who is a contact of Cases 115 and 134, and is linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster.

She was confirmed to have the infection on Mar 8, and is currently warded at NCID.

She has not travelled recently to affected countries and regions.

Explore our interactive: All the COVID-19 cases in Singapore and the clusters and links between them

UPDATE ON PREVIOUSLY CONFIRMED CASES

CASE 135 (ANNOUNCED ON MAR 7)

Case 135 is a 40-year-old Singaporean man who lives at Telok Blangah Crescent.

He reported the onset of symptoms on Feb 26 and sought treatment at two clinics on Mar 3 and 5. Subsequent tests confirmed COVID-19 on Mar 6.

He has not travelled recently to affected countries and regions and is currently warded at Singapore General Hospital. Prior to being admitted to hospital, he had gone to work at ST Electronics at 100 Jurong East Street 21.

CASE 136 (ANNOUNCED ON MAR 7)

Case 136 is likely to be an imported case involving a 36-year-old Italian man who works in Singapore.

He travelled to the US from Feb 7 to 22 and to Italy from Feb 23 to 29. He returned to Singapore on Mar 1, reported symptoms on the same day, and presented at Raffles Hospital. Tests confirmed the infection on Mar 6 and he is currently warded at NCID.

Prior to being admitted to hospital, he had mostly stayed at his home at Tanjong Pagar Road when he was in Singapore.

CASE 137 (ANNOUNCED ON MAR 7)

Case 137 is a 60-year-old Singaporean man who is linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster.

He reported symptoms on Mar 5 and as he had attended the SAFRA Jurong private dinner, he was referred by MOH to NCID the following day where he tested positive for COVID-19.

He has not travelled recently to affected areas overseas, and prior to being admitted to hospital, had mostly stayed at his home at Jurong West Street 41.

CASE 138 (ANNOUNCED ON MAR 7)

Case 138 is a 26-year-old Singaporean man who is a close contact of Case 66 and family member of Cases 83 and 91, and is linked to the cluster at The Life Church and Missions Singapore.

As he had been identified as a close contact of previous confirmed cases, he was under quarantine from Feb 15 to Mar 6. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 on Mar 6, and he is currently warded at NCID.

After his quarantine ended, he visited SAFRA Punggol at 9 Sentul Crescent). He lives at Rivervale Drive and has not travelled recently to affected countries and regions.

READ: Chinese New Year gathering identified as missing link between COVID-19 church clusters

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Singapore on Friday reported the highest daily jump in COVID-19 cases since the country confirmed its first case in late January. The majority of the cases reported that day were linked to the dinner at SAFRA Jurong.

MOH subsequently announced the suspension of activities at seven community clubs and eight residents’ committees over links to confirmed COVID-19 cases from the SAFRA Jurong cluster.

All activities and classes, mostly singing classes, attended by confirmed cases at these venues will be suspended for 14 days. In a statement, the People’s Association said the affected rooms have been disinfected, as well as any areas possibly visited by the affected individuals.

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