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Foreign worker dormitory linked to more than 1,500 COVID-19 cases among 9 more clusters closed: MOH

August 4, 2020

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SINGAPORE: Nine COVID-19 clusters at foreign worker dormitories were declared closed on Tuesday (Aug 4), including the cluster at Tuas View Dormitory, which was linked to more than 1,500 cases.

According to the Ministry of Health (MOH), the newly closed COVID-19 clusters are: SCM Tuas Lodge at 80 Tuas South Boulevard, Tuas View Dormitory at 70 Tuas South Avenue 1, 17 Jalan Besut, 5 Kian Teck Crescent, 8 Sungei Kadut Avenue, 3 Sungei Kadut Avenue, 115 Tuas View Walk 1, 117 Tuas View Walk 1 and 38 Woodlands Industrial Park E1 #04-18/19.

MOH said the inter-agency task force has been “systematically and progressively clearing dormitories through aggressive testing of migrant workers residing in dormitories”.

“The (nine) dormitories have been cleared, and now house only recovered individuals and those who have recently tested negative for COVID-19 infection. As such, the clusters have now been closed,” added the health ministry.

Tuas View Dormitory 14 — Foreign workers at the common corridor in Tuas View Dormitory on May 6, 2020. Tuas View Dormitory was gazetted as an isolation area to curb the spread of COVID-19. (Photo: Jeremy Long)

As of Tuesday, there were 1,503 cases linked to Tuas View Dormitory, which was among the first dormitories where a COVID-19 cluster was identified.

It was declared an isolation area on Apr 17 under the Infectious Diseases Act. That order was revoked on Tuesday.

READ: 295 new COVID-19 cases in Singapore, including 7 imported infections

Tuas View Dormitory 06 — Foreign workers are seen with masks at Tuas View Dormitory on May 6, 2020. Tuas View Dormitory was gazetted as an isolation area to curb the spread of COVID-19. (Photo: Jeremy Long)

“All stakeholders – dormitory operators, employers and migrant workers – must make preparations before we can grant approval for workers in the cleared blocks/dormitories to resume work,” the Ministry of Manpower said on its website.

“Most dormitories/blocks complete these preparations within a week of their clearance.”

Most foreign worker dormitories should be cleared of COVID-19 by the start of August, said former Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong last month.

Mr Wong, who is now Education Minister and remains co-chair of the multi-ministry task force, said all dormitories should be cleared of COVID-19 by the end of the first week of August, with the exception of 17 standalone blocks in eight purpose-built dormitories that serve as quarantine facilities.

These blocks house 28,000 workers who will still be serving out their isolation period. This is the last batch of workers to complete their isolation period, and they will be tested by the end of the first week of August, Mr Wong said last month.

Singapore reported 295 new COVID-19 infections on Tuesday, including two in the community and seven imported cases. This brings the total number of cases in the country to 53,346.