Singapore sees 19 local cases, including eight linked to KTV cluster
The Ministry of Health (MOH) said last night that ongoing transmission at three KTV clubs and lounges is likely.
They are Club Dolce in Balestier Point, Wu Bistro in Golden Mile Complex and Club De Zara in the Textile Centre.
MOH is investigating cases of Covid-19 infection among Vietnamese social hostesses who had frequented KTV lounges or clubs currently operating as food and beverage (F&B) outlets.
The hostesses' close social contacts are also being questioned.
The ministry said: "To break any potential chain of transmission and enable deep cleaning, these premises have been closed to all members of the public... from July 13 to July 27.
"To quickly uncover any community infection cases, we will be conducting special testing operations for all staff of Wu Bistro and Club De Zara."
MOH said free Covid-19 testing would be extended to all who visited the two locations from June 29 to yesterday.
The free testing would also be available to visitors of similar KTV lounges or clubs operating as F&B outlets, and to anyone who had interacted with Vietnamese social hostesses in any setting during that period.
MOH announced 19 new locally transmitted cases yesterday, of which eight belonged to an emerging KTV cluster.
Five of the 19 cases have been linked to previous cases and quarantined, while 10 were linked and detected through surveillance. Four cases are currently unlinked.
This is the highest number of locally transmitted cases since June 17, when 20 locally transmitted cases were announced.
There were also seven imported cases who had been placed on stay-home notice or isolated on arrival in Singapore.
Of these, five were detected upon arrival in Singapore, while two developed the illness during stay-home notice or isolation. - THE STRAITS TIMES
By the numbers
26
New cases
15
Community, linked
4
Community, unlinked
7
Imported
36
Deaths
94
In hospital
22
Open clusters
62,744
Total cases
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