Since the KTV Covid-19 cluster emerged earlier this week, the authorities have conducted investigations into the legality of the activities at these entertainment venues.
On Friday (16 Jul), the authorities released a statement revealing that the index case of the cluster, a Vietnamese lady, had entered Singapore via her boyfriend’s sponsorship.
They also warned that Short-Term Visit Pass holders are not allowed to take on any jobs during their stay, or risk getting deported.
In a joint release on Friday (16 Jul), the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and Ministry of Manpower (MOM) shared that the first case in the KTV cluster had arrived here in Feb 2021.
She reportedly did so via the Familial Ties Lane, under the sponsorship of her Singaporean boyfriend.
The Familial Ties Lane allows foreigners with “intimate ties” in Singapore to enter.
A frequent visitor of KTV lounges and nightclubs, the lady’s many close contacts subsequently tested positive.
The ICA and MOM did not share specifically if the authorities will be taking any actions against her. However, they issued a stern warning to all Short-Term Pass holders,
Short-term visitors cannot engage in any form of employment (paid or unpaid), or in any business, profession or occupation in Singapore.
Those found guilty of doing so may face prosecution, deportation, and even a ban from re-entering Singapore.
ICA and MOM also gave a breakdown of the 30 non-Singaporeans linked to the cluster. The following are their residential or visitation statuses:
Even though the index case arrived just this year, 2 of the Short-Term Pass holders had apparently entered Singapore even before Mar 2020.
Some might naturally question the relatively long duration that they’ve stayed in Singapore, which contradicts with the passes they’re holding.
In response, ICA clarified that all 8 Short-Term Visit Pass holders had extended their passes, allowing them to remain in Singapore.
Such extensions are subject to case-by-case evaluations. Factors such as flight availability and family ties in Singapore are taken into account.
The police are still investigating if any members of the clusters had participated in illegal activities.
They’re also looking into the KTV outlets, pivoted as F&B establishments, that were visited by positive cases.
Moving forward, the police and other agencies will also be stepping up enforcement actions against KTV outlets found breaching safe management measures (SMMs).
The KTV cluster is indeed concerning given how fast it’s growing.
As worrying as it is, perhaps this serves as a good reminder for everyone to adhere strictly to health and safety rules.
While the focus now ought to be on the ringfencing of the cluster, we hope the authorities will conduct a thorough investigation into the individuals involved and dish out punishments where necessary.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from Facebook, for illustration purposes only.
A record of more than 553,000 travellers crossed both checkpoints on 13 Dec.
There has been no year-end Covid-19 wave, as had been expected.
The beef was imported without a veterinary health certificate and halal certification.
One fan started queueing as early as 7am.
The company made the change after parents said they wanted to make sure their gifts…
An incredible twist of fortune for the police -- and a stroke of bad luck…