SINGAPORE — Community surveillance testing operations in Redhill has been expanded to include seven more housing blocks, as Covid-19 viral fragments were detected in wastewater samples collected from some blocks, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said.

In a media release on Monday (June 21), MOH said that epidemiological investigations are ongoing to determine the source of transmission.

To prevent any wider and undetected transmission in the community, mandatory Covid-19 testing will be conducted for all residents of blocks 81, 82 and 83 Redhill Lane, and 87, 88, 89 and 90 Redhill Close.

Testing is optional for those who have tested negative for the coronavirus from June 18 onwards.

MOH will also conduct voluntary Covid-19 testing for visitors and those who have interacted with residents of these blocks between June 6 and 20, to detect possible asymptomatic cases in the community.

Both mandatory and voluntary testing will be done at the pavilion at 84A Redhill Lane and the void deck of 89 Redhill Close from Monday to Wednesday.

This announcement came after the ministry said on Saturday that residents of eight public housing blocks in Bukit Merah View will have to undergo mandatory Covid-19 testing after the authorities found 21 infected people among residents of one block there.

The cluster at Bukit Merah View is now the largest active cluster in Singapore, with 73 community cases as of Sunday.

Last Thursday, MOH concluded two separate testing operations of stallholders in Redhill and Telok Blangah with no new cases of infection detected. 

Testing was then expanded to visitors to the area and in recent days, two cases with no known source of infection have been picked up from this surveillance testing. 

“In the event that a positive Covid-19 case is detected, MOH will isolate the case, identify all close contacts, test and quarantine them to protect the community from further transmission,” it said on Monday.

The ministry also advised residents to monitor their health closely and consult a doctor immediately if they feel unwell.

“Those who are still awaiting their test results are advised to minimise social interactions as much as possible. They should continue to monitor their health and seek immediate medical attention if they feel unwell.”