New Covid-19 cluster: Marina Bay Sands Casino to close from July 22 to Aug 5

SINGAPORE - There are two new Covid-19 clusters at markets in Clementi and Whampoa linked to the Jurong Fishery Port cluster, and a new cluster at the Marina Bay Sands Casino, said the Ministry of Health (MOH).

In its daily update on Wednesday night (July 21), MOH said it has detected 22 Covid-19 cases among people who worked in or visited Clementi 448 Market and Food Centre, and 12 cases at Whampoa Drive Market.

Both markets will be closed to the public from Thursday (July 22) to Aug 5 to break the chain of transmission and enable deep cleaning of the premises, MOH said.

There are now 130 new cases linked to the Jurong Fishery Port cluster, which stands at 454 cases, and eight new cases linked to the KTV cluster, which now stands at 215.

There will be free Covid-19 testing for members of the public who visited the Clementi 448 Market and Food Centre and Haig Road Market and Food Centre between July 7 and Wednesday.

MOH said it is working with the People's Association to distribute antigen rapid test (ART) self-test kits to individuals who visited selected markets and food centres in the last 14 days.

The collection will run from Thursday to Friday at residents' committee centres in the vicinity of Whampoa Drive Market at 92 Whampoa Drive and 726 West Coast Market at 726 West Coast Road.

MOH added that there were 11 Covid-19 cases linked to the Marina Bay Sands Casino cluster, and investigations have found that there is likely ongoing transmission there.

The casino will be closed to the public from Thursday to Aug 5.

MOH said it will conduct special testing operations for all staff of the casino. It will also extend free Covid-19 testing to members of the public who visited Marina Bay Sands Casino between July 7 and Wednesday.

MOH is also investigating cases of Covid-19 infection among social hostesses who had frequented KTV lounges or clubs currently operating as food and beverage outlets, and their close contacts.

There is likely ongoing transmission at Sakura Entertainment at 517 Geylang Road.

There are currently 28 active clusters of infection on Wednesday, ranging between three and 454 infections.

Singapore reported a total of 181 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, including 179 locally transmitted cases and two imported cases.

There were 30 unlinked locally transmitted cases.

Among the locally transmitted cases are four unvaccinated seniors above 70 who are at risk of serious illness.

Overall, the number of new cases in the community has increased from 88 cases the week before to 766 cases in the past week.

The number of unlinked cases in the community in a week has increased from 14 cases to 82 over the same period.

MOH also gave an update on vaccination in Singapore, noting that around 6.83 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered under the national vaccination programme.

Some 4.16 million people have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while 2.79 million people have completed the full vaccine regimen.

There are 379 Covid-19 patients still in hospital. Most are well and under observation. These include one in critical condition in the intensive care unit, and seven who require oxygen support.

ALSO READ: 179 locally transmitted Covid-19 cases on July 21 with 130 linked to Jurong Fishery Port

Over the past 28 days, eight patients were admitted to intensive care, required oxygen supplementation or died. 

Among them, six were unvaccinated, while two had received one dose of the vaccine. None was fully vaccinated.

Singapore has had 36 deaths from Covid-19 complications, while 15 who tested positive have died of other causes.

MOH gave a list of the markets and food centres linked to the growing Jurong Fishery Port Cluster. They are:

Clusters

1. Chong Boon Market and Food Centre

2. Chong Pang Market

3. Clementi 448 Market and Food Centre

4. Haig Road Market and Food Centre

5. Hong Lim Market & Food Centre

6. Whampoa Drive Market

With three or more cases

1. Boon Lay Place Market and Food Village

2. Bukit Panjang Wet Market

3. 353 Clementi Market

4. Geylang Serai Market

5. Taman Jurong Market

6. Teban Garden Market

7. 726 West Coast Market

With fewer than three cases

1. Admiralty Wet Market

2. Albert Centre Market and Food Centre

3. Amoy Street Food Centre

4. Ang Mo Kio Central Market and Food Centre

5. Bangkit Market

6. 216 Bedok Food Centre and Market

7. 630 Bedok Reservoir Road Market and Food Centre

8. Bukit Panjang Wet Market

9. Bukit Timah Wet Market

10. Cheng San Market and Cooked Food Centre

11. Geylang Bahru Market

12. Jurong Central Plaza

13. 497 Jurong West Street 41 Market

14. 505 Jurong West Street 52 Market

15. Kim Keat Palm Market and Food Centre

16. Mayflower Wet Market and Food Centre

17. Mei Ling Market & Food Centre

18. Redhill Market

19. 118 Rivervale Drive Market

20. Shunfu Mart

21. Teck Ghee Market and Food Centre

22. 146 Teck Whye Avenue Market

23. Tekka Centre

24. Telok Banglah Crescent Block 11

25. Tiong Bahru Market

26. 58 New Upper Changi Road Market and Food Centre

27. 622 Yew Tee Market

28. Yuhua Market and Hawker Centre

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