Visitors To Blocks 115 & 116 From 25 May-12 Jun Can Get Free Covid-19 Test
When 2 seniors who work at 115 Bukit Merah View Market & Hawker Centre tested positive for Covid-19, the entire building was closed for cleaning and disinfection.
This was a safety precaution to prevent further spread of the virus.
Unfortunately, 4 more infections have since been found among people there.
As such, the building has been officially declared as a Covid-19 cluster.
Visitors who have been there, as well as neighbouring block 116, are being offered free swab tests.
Staff & tenants put on quarantine, 4 more cases found
Earlier, it was announced that 2 senior citizens who work at the sundry store at 115 Bukit Merah View Market & Food Centre tested positive last week.
As 2 cases were found in the same building, all staff and tenants who worked there from 25 May were placed under quarantine.
During quarantine, they were tested, and 4 more cases were found:
- Case 64187: 50-year-old male Bangladeshi national employed by Theng Liang Lee Services as a conservancy worker at 115 Bukit Merah View Market. He was placed on quarantine on 11 Jun and tested that same day. His test result came back positive on 12 Jun.
- Case 64193: 72-year-old male Singaporean who works at a sundry shop at 115 Bukit Merah View Market. He was placed on quarantine on 11 Jun and tested on 12 Jun. His test result came back positive on the same day. He also developed a runny nose on 13 Jun. He is fully vaccinated.
- Case 64195: 67-year-old female Singaporean who works as a food stall vendor at 115 Bukit Merah View Market. She was placed on quarantine on 12 Jun and tested on the same day. Her test result came back positive on 13 Jun. She is fully vaccinated.
- Case 64196: 65-year-old male Singaporean who works as a food stall vendor at 115 Bukit Merah View Market. He was placed on quarantine on 11 Jun and tested on 12 Jun. His test result came back positive on 13 Jun. He is fully vaccinated.
Likely ongoing transmission among workers
The addition of 4 more cases brought the total to 6. This caused Block 115 to be declared as a cluster, as it has 3 or more cases linked to it.
The situation is serious, as the Ministry of Health (MOH) said,
Our epidemiological investigations have found that there is likely ongoing transmission among individuals who work at the location.
Block 116 also affected, testing for staff & tenants
Unfortunately, as Block 115 has been declared a cluster, the neighbouring Block 116 has also been affected.
According to Google Maps, blocks 115 and 116 are close to each other. In fact, they’re almost intertwined.
Block 116 also has many shops and eateries, so patrons are likely to go from 1 block to another.
Thus, MOH will conduct special testing operations for all staff and tenants who have worked at Block 116 since 25 May.
This is to “disrupt any wider, undetected community transmission”, the ministry said.
Visitors to both blocks offered free testing
Additionally, members of the public who have visited both block 115 and 116 between 25 May-12 Jun are being offered free Covid-19 tests.
That’s the period that the infected cases were at the shops there during their infectious periods.
From 14-27 Jun, they can book an appointment at Fullerton Health Testing Centre in Raffles City or Raffles Medical Group’s 2 testing centres at:
- Raffles Hospital – 585 North Bridge Road
- Raffles Medical @ Shaw Centre Orchard – 1 Scotts Road, #05-01 to #05-11
Those with children below 12 years old who need to get tested should go to Fullerton Health.
Alternatively, they can also book their appointments at the following Regional Screening Centres:
- Former Da Qiao Primary School – 8 Ang Mo Kio Street 54
- Former Shuqun Secondary School – 450 Jurong East Street 21
- Former Coral Primary School – 20 Pasir Ris Street 51
- Former Bishan Park Secondary School – 2 Sin Ming Walk
- Former Bedok North Secondary School – 20 Jln Damai
Lastly, if you’re feeling unwell, there’s also the “Swab and Send Home” option at any Public Health Preparedness Clinics (PHPC) islandwide.
For more details of the testing and to book an appointment, do check out MOH’s advisory here.
Do monitor your health if you visited
The possibility that Covid-19 transmission may have been ongoing at places where HDB residents frequently shop and tapao food is alarming.
That’s also considering that many seniors visit those blocks.
Hopefully, the spread can be contained. While the market’s closure could cause inconvenience to some, it’s necessary to safeguard public health.
If you visited these 2 blocks recently, do monitor your health closely and minimise social interactions in the 14 days after your visit. Seek medical treatment if you feel unwell.
Do also get tested to protect your loved ones and the community.
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Featured image adapted from Google Maps and Google Maps.
