Even though Singapore is just days away from Phase 3 Heightened Alert, there continue to be new community Covid-19 cases reported every day.
On Tuesday (15 Jun), there were 14 new cases in the community, of which 9 are linked to the growing Bukit Merah View Market & Food Centre cluster.
In light of the worrying developments, the market will be closed for a longer period till 26 Jun.
The 9 new cases linked to Bukit Merah View Market account for the majority of the 10 linked cases reported on Tuesday (15 Jun).
3 of the cases reportedly involve stall vendors at the market who had been placed on quarantine before testing positive. All of them are asymptomatic.
Another 3 were family or household contacts of previous cases linked to the cluster. 2 of them were similarly detected while on quarantine.
2 other cases – a retiree and a frozen food company sales executive – had visited the market prior to testing positive.
MOH did not disclose how the remaining patient – Case 64239 – was linked to the market cluster.
With the 9 new cases reported on Tuesday (15 Jun), there are currently 25 cases linked to the Bukit Merah Market cluster.
In light of the worsening situation, the market will remain closed till 26 Jun.
It was previously closed for 3 days and slated to reopen on 16 Jun.
To prevent transmissions to the wider public, all staff and tenants who had worked at the Block 115 market from 25 May have been placed on quarantine.
MOH has also started testing staff and tenants working at the adjacent Block 116 building from 25 May.
Members of the public who have visited either block between 25 May and 12 Jun are also advised to go for complimentary testing at these venues.
Nearby, the Block 79 market along Telok Blangah Drive will also be closed after one of its hawkers tested positive for Covid-19.
Known as Case 64218, the 42-year-old developed body aches and fever before testing positive on Monday (14 Jun).
The market will be closed for 3 days – from 16-18 Jun – for cleaning and disinfection before reopening on Saturday (19 Jun).
The growing cluster linked to Bukit Merah View Market is certainly concerning. We hope the authorities have identified those at risk of infection and will work on ringfencing the cluster ASAP.
If you’ve been to the market during the abovementioned window, do get yourself checked for peace of mind.
From Tan Tock Seng Hospital to Changi Airport and now Bukit Merah Market, the ever-shifting frontier of our nation’s war against Covid-19 highlights the importance of staying vigilant and adhering to safety measures.
So let’s do that, and hope for Singapore’s Covid-19 situation to improve significantly soon.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at hello@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from Google Maps.
He made sure all the passengers were served before taking a slice for himself.
The doctor recommended a 2-week gap between manicures to allow nails to recover.
The dog stayed with its owner until she was discharged.
Plus, stand a chance to win a BYD electric car.
Following the incident, netizens felt compelled to reconsider pork consumption.
The dog, Taohu, was inseparable from its owner, who raised it from puppyhood.