News Highlights

Additional measures to ringfence clusters 

5. We have uncovered clusters involving markets and food centres. These clusters are likely seeded by fishmongers who visited the Jurong Fishery Port to collect their stock and sell at the markets. We announced the cluster at Hong Lim Market & Food Centre yesterday, and MOH is now investigating 2 cases who work in or visited Chong Boon Market & Food Centre (453A Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10), with 3 more cases pending confirmation. To break the chain of transmission and enable deep cleaning of the premises, Chong Boon Market & Food Centre will be closed to all members of the public from 18 July to 1 August 2021. All individuals who work in the market and food centre will be placed on quarantine, and tested during quarantine.  

6. MOH has also detected cases amongst fishmongers working at Amoy Street Food Centre, Chong Pang Market & Food Centre, Whampoa Wet Market, Telok Blangah Crescent Block 11, Taman Jurong Market, Redhill Market, Geylang Serai Malay Market, Geylang Bahru Market, 527 Ang Mo Kio Market, 726 West Coast Wet Market and Bukit Timah Wet Market.  Most are tested positive via Antigen Rapid Tests (ART) and are being confirmed with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. Our epidemiological investigations found that they are likely to have been infected through contact with stallholders at Jurong Fishery Port.

7. Testing of fishmongers is still ongoing. As there is risk of transmission to other markets and food centres, we are conducting aggressive contact tracing, quarantine and testing to ringfence the cases and prevent further spread. Fishmongers from all markets will receive an SMS Health Risk Warning on 18 July, and will be required under the law to get tested at  designated testing centres and self-isolate until they receive a negative test from their first PCR test. They will be issued with self-test ART kits and are required to self-administer an ART test on the seventh day from the last exposure. They will also be required to undergo another PCR test at designated testing centres around the 14th day from their date of last known exposure. 

8. MOH therefore advises all visitors to the markets and food centres to avoid crowds and to do your marketing during off-peak hours, or at supermarkets, and to strictly observe the safe management measures.

Ongoing transmission at KTV clubs/lounges

9. MOH is investigating cases of COVID-19 infection amongst social hostesses who had frequented KTV lounges or clubs currently operating as F&B outlets, and their close social contacts. Our epidemiological investigations have found that there is likely ongoing transmission at the following KTV lounges/clubs: 

• Quinn KTV (207A Syed Alwi Road);
• Club AURA (442 Orchard Road);
• Club Ion (271 Bukit Timah Road); 
• Icon II (35 Selegie Road);
• Club Lucky Thai (5001 Beach Road); and
• M. Sakhon (5001 Beach Road). 

10. All visitors to the affected premises are advised to monitor their health closely, and minimise social interactions as far as possible, for 14 days from their date of visit or interaction. They are encouraged to see a doctor immediately if they feel unwell.

Condition of confirmed cases

11. 196 cases are currently warded in hospital.  Most are well and under observation. There are currently 5 cases of serious illness requiring oxygen supplementation, and 1 in critical condition in the intensive care unit (ICU). None amongst these 6 cases is fully vaccinated. 

Figure 6: Number of Active Cases in ICU or Requiring Oxygen Supplementation

12. There is continuing evidence that vaccination helps to prevent serious disease when one gets infected. Over the last 28 days, 14 local cases required oxygen supplementation, were admitted to ICU or passed away. 10 are unvaccinated, 4 are partially vaccinated and none was fully vaccinated. 

Figure 8: Local Cases in the Last 28 Days by Vaccination Status and Severity of Condition⁵