29 COVID-19 Cases Today (31 Jan); All Are Imported

Well, at least we end the month well.

As of 12pm today (31 Jan), the Ministry of Health (MOH) has preliminarily confirmed 29 new cases of COVID-19 infection

All of them are imported.

This brings the total number of cases in Singapore to 59,536.

Based on yesterday’s figures, the number of new cases in the community has decreased from 17 cases in the week before to 3 cases in the past week. The number of unlinked cases in the community has also decreased from 3 cases in the week before to 2 cases in the past week.

A Community Case Reported Yesterday is a Screening Officer Who Might Have Broken COVID-19 Rules

Yesterday, we reported 58 new Covid-19 cases, a number that would alarm those in New Zealand, but would be welcomed in the US.

It’s the highest daily count since 11 Sept last year, when we reported 86 infections.

Of the 58, three were from the community.

One of the cases was a 72-year-old Singaporean aviation screening officer working for Certis Cisco at Changi Airport Terminal 1.

He screens the baggage of arriving passengers and directs them to the baggage-screening lanes.

On Monday (25 Jan), the man developed a cough and sore throat, but did not seek medical treatment, and even went to work on Wednesday.

There, he underwent Rostered Routine Testing and was confirmed to have the coronavirus on Friday.

Oh yes, he also met 12 others for tennis at the National Service Resort and Country Club in Changi.

In case you’re unaware, social gatherings are limited to 8 people.

Consequently, the authorities have launched investigations to determine if any Covid-19 regulations had been breached.

On the day he developed symptoms, the man also received his first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

As the Ministry of Health (MOH) said, the man couldn’t have gotten infected from the vaccination as it doesn’t contain a live virus.

“It is possible for one to be infected just before or just after vaccination, as it typically takes a few weeks for an individual to build up immunity after completing vaccination,” MOH added.

More Individuals Not Seeking Medical Treatment

Back when we had to grapple with the circuit breaker, our biggest problem was individuals who simply couldn’t stay at home.

Now, it’s individuals who avoid doctors like the plague (or the coronavirus).

The other two community cases reported yesterday are a husband and wife.

Neither sought medical attention despite developing symptoms associated with the coronavirus.

The same trend has been noted in several confirmed cases lately.

MOH urged residents to play their part in the fight against Covid-19.

“Those who are unwell, including those showing early or mild symptoms, should be socially responsible and seek medical attention immediately, and stay at home to prevent the spread of illness to others.”

The remaining 55 cases were all from abroad.

All were quarantined upon arrival and were tested while serving their isolation periods.

If you’ve not, you should download the TraceTogether app so that contact tracing can be done easily. If you’re worried about your privacy, watch this video to the end:

Featured Image: Rajaraman Arumugam / Shutterstock.com (Image is for illustration purpose only)