56 new Covid-19 cases in Singapore, 42 from KTV cluster; no change to Covid-19 measures for now

OF the 56 new local Covid-19 cases in Singapore on Wednesday, 42 are linked to the growing KTV lounge cluster, with more expected to surface.

Asked if the cluster would affect the current relaxation of Covid-19 measures that began on Monday, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said that the multi-ministry taskforce thought long and hard about it, but decided that, given the high vaccination rate, "we are in a much more resilient position than before".

"For now, we will keep the rules that have come into effect since Monday, and there will not be any reversal," he said, even as he urged the public to still exercise restraint and caution in socialising.

In an online media doorstop on Wednesday afternoon, the number of new cases linked to the KTV cluster was originally given as 41. Late on Wednesday night, the Health Ministry updated this figure to 42, as a link for an additional case had been found.

Nine of the new cases detected in the cluster were already in quarantine, while the rest were found through surveillance. This included one case that was recently reported in the media, of a passenger on board a Dream Cruises ship.

Testing and tracing is continuing for the KTV cluster, and more cases are expected in the coming days.

"But we strongly suspect that the data we have using TraceTogether and SafeEntry is not comprehensive, considering that these KTV lounges are operating allegedly illegally to start with," said Mr Ong.

The emergence of this cluster is "very troubling and disappointing", he said, as the authorities had known of similar nightlife-based transmissions in other countries, which is why these activities have been disallowed in Singapore for over a year.

The KTV lounges involved had been allowed to operate as food and beverage outlets, not to provide hostess services.

Mr Ong urged those who have visited any KTV lounges or interacted with any hostesses in the past 14 days to come forward and get tested, noting that over 100 have already done so. He gave the assurance that testing is confidential and "your privacy is protected".

While the police will take action against any KTV lounges and hostesses which have breached the rules, breaches of safe distancing measures come under the MOH. The ministry's top priority is to find out who has been affected, he said.

While the KTV cluster is disappointing, Mr Ong said the taskforce was "not entirely surprised" given the highly transmissible nature of the Delta variant of the virus. He added: "I think this is going to be a pattern that we need to manage."

The minister also reiterated calls for the public to get vaccinated. The MOH will be asking GPs and primary care providers to reach out to their patients aged above 70, and persuade them to go for their shots.