40 New Covid-19 Cases Reported Today (1 Sep); 1 Case In The Community

As of 12pm on 1 Sep 2020, the Ministry of Health (MOH) preliminarily reported 40 new Covid-19 cases.

This brings the total up to 56,852.

There 1 case in the community, a work pass holder, and 7 imported cases.

All imported cases were placed on Stay-Home-Notice (SHN) upon arrival in Singapore.

Details On 31 Aug Cases

Yesterday (31 Aug), we received some good and bad news.

The good news is that 41 new infections were reported, only 3 of which were community cases.

The bad news is that they are all unlinked. 

All three of them were asymptomatic and were detected as a result of MOH’s routine testing of workers in the construction, marine and process industries.

All close contacts of the three unlinked cases have been placed on quarantine.

There were also seven imported cases, six of whom are Singaporeans or Permanent Residents who returned to Singapore from India or Malaysia between 17 and 19 Aug.

The remaining case is a Work Permit holder in Singapore who arrived from India on 19 Aug.

While the number of unlinked community cases has remained stable at an average of one case daily in the past two weeks, the number of new community cases has increased from an average of two to three daily in the past week.

90 People At Nursing Home Tested For Covid-19 After Ex-Employee Confirmed To Be Infected

Even though they were in contact with an ex-staff member, 90 employees and residents at the Lee Ah Mooi Old Age Home all tested negative for Covid-19, reported The Straits Times.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) said it had been informed that a staff member who previously worked at the home had tested positive for Covid-19 on 30 Aug in the Philippines.

Even though she had not exhibited any symptoms up till her last day on 26 Aug, MOH and the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) worked with the Lee Ah Mooi home to test all 90 workers and residents who were identified as possible contacts.

3 Outlets Ordered To Close Temporarily For Breaching Measures, One Even Poured Alcohol Into Teapot

A bar at Science Park Drive and two restaurants who flouted safe distancing rules have been ordered to close by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), reported The Straits Times.

The first outlet on the list is also the most flagrant offender – S-Tripes Hotpot, a restaurant in Havelock Road.

As part of safe management measures, the sale of alcohol after 10.30pm was prohibited in the hotpot restaurant.

The restaurant chose to sell alcohol anyway and even poured the alcoholic beverages into teapots and empty green tea bottles to avoid detection.

The employees were also not wearing masks or wearing them improperly, despite being reminded of the requirement.

The restaurant was fined $2,000 for the offences, according to ST.

Similarly, Whimsical Bar, whose owners must surely have been inebriated when brainstorming company names, were ordered to close with immediate effect after SFA officers discovered the following violations:

• the bar’s customers were consuming alcoholic beverages after 10.30pm
• it had allowed groups of more than five to sit together and mingle
• the bar was operating without a food shop licence and its tables were spaced less than 1m apart

So, they basically violated every single Covid-19 regulation?

It can only reopen once it obtains a license, said SFA.

Its adjacent unit, the Create Kitchen, was also ordered to close from 2 Sept to 11 Sept after it was found to have violated similar safe management measures.

Both businesses were fined $1,000 each for the offences.

There’s Still A Need To Be Careful

This shouldn’t be taken lightly of course.

The situation is improving, but we can’t become complacent and claim victory too soon unless you want to give up steaming hot Prata at the coffee shop and bubble tea all over again.