86-year-old woman linked to TTSH cluster dies from Covid-19 complications in KTPH

SINGAPORE - An 86-year-old Singaporean woman linked to the now-closed Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) cluster has died from complications due to Covid-19 infection on Monday (June 7), bringing the total number of deaths here to 34.

The woman had been warded at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital for an unrelated medical condition, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Tuesday. Her husband, also part of the TTSH cluster, had been hospitalised in ward 9D at TTSH from April 20 to April 22.

MOH said the woman had not been vaccinated against Covid-19, and had a history of diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidaemia or high cholesterol, hypertension or high blood pressure and hypothyroidism - a condition involving an underactive thyroid.

She tested positive for the virus on April 30 and died on Monday.

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"Khoo Teck Puat Hospital has reached out to her family and is extending assistance to them," the MOH said.

This is the third death linked to the TTSH cluster, which was closed on Saturday after no new cases were added for 28 days.

The other two were an 88-year-old Singaporean woman who died on May 1, and a 70-year-old Singaporean man who died on May 20.

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In its daily update on Tuesday night, MOH also said there were three new Covid-19 cases in the community, including one linked and two which were unlinked.

One unlinked case is a 35-year-old retail assistant who works at Four Leaves bakery outlets in Ion Orchard and Ang Mo Kio Hub.

She had symptoms last Saturday but did not seek medical treatment till Monday, when she tested positive for the virus.

The other is a 54-year-old vessel manager at NYK Ship management. He was fully vaccinated and asymptomatic.

The man was tested on Monday as part of a routine testing exercise before boarding a vessel and was isolated after he tested positive. His earlier rostered routine testing results were negative.

The linked case is a vaccinated and asymptomatic resident of MINDSville @ Napiri, an adult disability home.

There was also one unlinked case from a migrant workers' dormitory, MOH added.

He is a 31-year-old plumber and pipe fitter employed by Isogo Marine Engineering who lives in Avery Lodge at 2D, Jalan Papan.

There were also five imported cases that had been placed on stay-home notice on arrival in Singapore, said the ministry. Two were permanent residents returning from India.

In all, nine new coronavirus cases were confirmed on Tuesday.

It is the lowest daily number of Covid-19 cases in Singapore since March 17, when there were also nine cases.

The new cases took Singapore's total tally to 62,219.

There were 42 patients discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities on Monday. In total, 61,702 have fully recovered from Covid-19.

MOH said 187 cases are still in hospital, including two in the intensive care unit.

Another 296 with mild symptoms or who are clinically well are being cared for at community facilities.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.