5 People Tested Positive for COVID-19 in Testing Operations at Bukit Merah That Involved 8 Blocks


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TestTogether? Sign me up. 

Actually, no, there isn’t a choice anyway with the government’s new approach to more aggressively testing those who may have been in contact with new COVID-19 patients.

But it seems to be yielding results.

After surveillance testing of people who were in Beo Crescent and Bukit Merah View, five new COVID-19 cases have been uncovered, according to a Ministry of Health (MOH) statement.

The testing regimen involved 2,133 people from Blocks 116, 117, 118, 119, 124A, 124B, 125, and 126 Bukit Merah View.

The new cases detected include a 62-year-old man employed as a cleaner at Enabling Village at 20 Lengkok Bahru, an asymptomatic household contact of a 62-year-old housewife testing positive on the same day.

The three others are also linked to clusters around Bukit Merah, two to Bukit Merah View Market and one to 119 Bukit Merah View.

Fortunately, the MOH announced that all 458 owners, tenants, and staff of commercial sites around Beo Crescent underwent COVID-19 testing, and all results were found to be negative.

What About Bukit Merah?

The unfortunate region has seen several COVID-19 clusters appearing in close proximity. 

These include several residential blocks around Bukit Merah View, with the largest at 115 Bukit Merah View Market and Food Centre with 81 cases. 

The market has been closed until 26 June, and experts believe fomite transmission could have been responsible for the spread.


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The coronavirus may be transmitted when germs left on objects come into contact with another person with the use of common facilities, such as toilets. 

That the food centre hosts some popular eateries may also have contributed to the spread, with long queues heightening risks for transmission even though dining-in had been forbidden. 

Some reported queuing times for up to 30 minutes under conditions where social distancing is not guaranteed, which can be a “significant period of close contact”.

COVID-19 viral fragments were also found in wastewater samples from some HDB buildings in the Redhill Close area, prompting further mandatory testing efforts.

Image: Google Maps