S'pore's sole new Covid-19 community case is Myanmar maid who tested negative while serving SHN
SINGAPORE – A foreign domestic worker who tested negative while serving her stay-home notice (SHN) is Singapore’s sole new community Covid-19 case reported on Wednesday (April 7).
The Ministry of Health (MOH) said the 40-year-old female arrived from Myanmar on Nov 13 and served her SHN at a dedicated facility.
Her test taken on Nov 23 during the SHN was negative.
While she was serving SHN, she had been identified as a close contact of another case during their flight to Singapore, and was hence placed under quarantine from Nov 24 to Nov 27.
On Nov 27, she started work at her employer’s home.
The patient then developed a headache last Friday (April 2) and shortness of breath on Sunday. She was tested for Covid-19 when she sought medical treatment later that day.
Her test result came back positive for Covid-19 infection on the same day and she was warded at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital.
Another test conducted by the National Public Health Laboratory on Monday was negative.
MOH said her serological test result has come back positive, which is indicative of a past infection.
“She could be shedding minute fragments of the virus RNA, which are no longer transmissible and infective to others, but given that we are not able to definitively conclude when she had been infected, we will take all the necessary public health actions as a precautionary measure,” said the ministry.
Meanwhile, 34 new imported cases were announced on Wednesday.
One is a Singaporean who returned from the United Kingdom, while three are dependant’s pass holders who arrived from France, India and Indonesia.
A further 27 arrived here for work. Four are work pass holders who arrived from France, India and Indonesia, while 23 are work permit holders who arrived from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.
Seven of the work permit holders are foreign domestic workers, said MOH.
The last three imported patients are short-term visit pass holders.
One arrived from Canada to participate in a sporting event, while another two arrived separately from Bangladesh and India to visit their family members who are Singaporeans or permanent residents.
Two places – Prime Supermarket in 373 Bukit Batok Street 31 and Bukit Gombak Wet Market in 374 Bukit Batok Street 31 – were added on Wednesday to the list of places visited by coronavirus patients while they were infectious.
Individuals may access the SafeEntry Location Matching Self-Check service via the TraceTogether App, SingPass Mobile, or at this website to check whether they were at these locations during the specified timings, based on their own SafeEntry records.
There is no need to avoid places where confirmed Covid-19 cases have been as the National Environment Agency will engage the management of affected premises to provide guidance on cleaning and disinfection, said MOH.
The number of new cases in the community has decreased from three cases two weeks ago to two in the past week.
The number of unlinked cases in the community in a week has also decreased from three cases to two over the same period.
With 21 cases discharged on Wednesday, 60,245 patients have fully recovered from the disease.
A total of 46 patients remain in hospital, including one in the intensive care unit, while 218 are recuperating in community facilities.
Singapore has had 30 deaths from Covid-19 complications, while 15 who tested positive have died of other causes.
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