Ex-NTU Employee Tests Positive For Covid-19, Last Work Day Was On 28 Aug

Former NTU Employee Infected With Covid-19

A former employee of the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) tested positive for Covid-19 upon his arrival in another country.

His last working day was 28 Aug, and he displayed no symptoms the entire time.

Even though the person has left Singapore, he still visited some places while infectious, and MOH accordingly added these places on Tuesday (8 Sep) to their list of places visited by Covid-19 cases.

They include 3 food establishments.

Ex-employee tested Covid-19 positive upon arrival overseas

According to an email seen by MS News, the ex-employee tested Covid-19 positive during a routine swab test at a foreign airport on Tuesday (1 Sep).

He displayed no symptoms the entire time, even when he was still an NTU employee. NTU also noted that he is not a part of the teaching staff.

On 4 Sep, he told NTU of his positive test, which NTU thanks him for.

After this, NTU worked with MOH to issue quarantine orders for close contacts with the ex-employee.

Places visited by Covid-19 case updated on 8 Sep

Yesterday (8 Sep), MOH added several places visited by the case between 25-28 Aug.

North Spine Food Court in NTU
Source

This would explain the new locations in NTU even though there were no community cases yesterday.

They include:

• 25 Aug, Nanyang Technological University School of Biological
  Sciences (60 Nanyang Drive), from 12.35-1.30pm
  – Quad Cafe
• 26 Aug, Nanyang Technological University North Spine Plaza (50
  Nanyang Avenue), from 2.25-3.30pm
  – Paik’s Bibim
• 28 Aug, Nanyang Technological University North Spine Plaza (76 Nanyang Drive), from 1-2pm
  – North Spine Food Court

You can view the full list here.

Precaution for those who visited venues

Those who were at the venues at the given timings should monitor their health for 14 days from the date of visit.

They should see a doctor if they develop any symptoms of acute respiratory infection.

There should be a low risk of transmission among people who aren’t close contacts. But because the ex-employee was asymptomatic, one should be vigilant regardless.

Undetected cases still within community

There’ve been some Covid-19 cases in the community who were only detected after they left the country.

This means that the prevalence of community transmission still exists currently.

However, with increased testing as well as contact tracing, authorities are doing their best to ensure that large clusters don’t form.

With SafeEntry and soon TraceTogether, they’ll have an easier job tracking down people who may have come into contact with infected cases.

Featured image adapted from Google Maps and Google Maps.