New Covid-19 cluster of 13 cases at Block 506 in Hougang Avenue 8

[SINGAPORE] A new Covid-19 cluster of 13 cases at Block 506 in Hougang Avenue 8 has been announced by the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Thursday (June 3).

Whole genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis conducted by the National Public Health Laboratory revealed links among previous cases to the cluster, said MOH.

This included a 58-year-old homemaker who was among the 35 cases in the community reported on Thursday.

The homemaker had received her first dose of Covid-19 vaccine on May 18.

The new cluster at Hougang Avenue 8 includes a subcluster of four cases linked to a 67-year-old retiree who was confirmed to have the virus on May 26.

The cluster was first detected when a 57-year-old unemployed woman who stays at the Hougang block was confirmed to have the virus on May 15.

The sole unlinked case in the community is a 41-year-old coating inspector at SBM Keppel Tuas.

He had previously travelled to India last July and returned to Singapore on April 20.

Twenty-two of Thursday's community cases are from the MINDSville @ Napiri cluster, which was first detected when a 37-year-old female resident tested positive for the virus on Monday.

The 19 residents and three nursing aides had already been quarantined prior to their positive test results. The staff and 17 residents have vaccinated.

They take the total number of people linked to the cluster to 27.

Of the new community cases, 28 had already been placed on quarantine.

There were also 10 imported cases who had been placed on stay-home notice on arrival in Singapore.

With 45 new cases, Singapore has a total tally of 62,145 cases.

THE STRAITS TIMES