• MOH said one new cluster has emerged, involving three Covid-19 infections
• Based on the ministry's earlier statement, it is linked to a driver at Omni Aquatic Supplies
• Singapore now has 24 active Covid-19 clusters

SINGAPORE — A new Covid-19 cluster has emerged while a cluster linked to the Mindsville@Napiri housing facility for people with intellectual disability has closed, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Monday (July 5).

In its nightly update on the coronavirus situation here, MOH said that the new cluster — which now has three cases — is linked to a case the ministry identified as case number 64388. 

Based on the ministry’s earlier statement on June 22, the case refers to a 36-year-old Malaysian man who works as a driver at Omni Aquatic Supplies. He was confirmed to have Covid-19 that day.

Meanwhile, MOH said on Monday that Mindsville@Napiri will no longer be considered an active cluster because no cases have been linked to the adult disability home in Hougang for the past two incubation periods, or 28 days.

That cluster had 33 cases linked to it as of Sunday, all of whom involved residents of staff of the home. The first case in the cluster was confirmed on May 31.

In a Facebook post on Monday evening, Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli praised the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (Minds), the voluntary welfare organisation which runs the facility, for promptly containing the spread within the home.

Of the 33 cases linked to the cluster, only three displayed symptoms before they were swabbed for Covid-19, he added. Three others developed symptoms later after action had been taken to place them in quarantine.

“This incident also shows that vaccination works,” said Mr Masagos, who is also Second Minister for Health.

“The low symptomatic rate was quite likely because of the high vaccination rate of the staff and residents in the adult disability home — all except four of the 33 cases were vaccinated, and none of the symptomatic cases presented severe symptoms requiring intensive care.” 

Of the six new locally transmitted cases of Covid-19 recorded on Monday, one has been linked to the cluster at 105 Henderson Crescent, two to the Changi General Hospital cluster and one to the new cluster.

The other two have not been traced to any past infections.

As of Monday, Singapore has 24 active Covid-19 clusters and the cluster sizes range from three to 93 infections, the largest of which is the cluster at 115 Bukit Merah View Market and Food Centre.

Seven of the 13 total cases on Monday were imported and had been placed on stay-home notices or isolated on arrival in Singapore.

Of the seven cases, five were detected on arrival in Singapore and two developed the disease while in isolation or on stay-home notice.

Singapore’s coronavirus total now stands at 62,630 cases.

Overall, MOH said that the number of new cases in the community has gone down from 86 in the week before to 28 in the past week.

The number of cases with no known sources of infection in the community has also dropped from 14 in the week before to four in the past week.

“The seven-day moving average number of all linked community cases and all unlinked community cases are 3.4 and 0.6 respectively,” MOH said.

HOSPITALISED PATIENTS

There are now 102 Covid-19 patients who are hospitalised.

Of these, 10 require supplemental oxygen while another three are in critical condition under intensive care. All three under intensive care are aged above 60 and not vaccinated.

Among the 10 who need oxygen aid, three are partially vaccinated and seven are unvaccinated. Six of the 10 are aged over 60, three are between the ages of 40 and 60, and one is aged between 12 and 18.

“There is continuing evidence that vaccination helps to prevent serious disease when one gets infected,” MOH said.

“Over the last 28 days, 23 local cases required oxygen supplementation, were admitted to intensive care units or passed away. Twenty are unvaccinated, three are partially vaccinated and none is fully vaccinated.”

VACCINATIONS

Some 5.78 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been given to about 3.61 million people as of Monday, the ministry said.

Close to 2.2 million people have received their second dose and completed the full vaccination regimen.