5 People in TTSH, Including a Nurse & a Doctor, Tested Positive for COVID-19; A Ward is Now in Lockdown

Yesterday (28 Apr), three COVID-19 community cases were reported.

One was an ICA officer working at the airport, and another was a Singaporean who works as a construction project manager in Nepal.

But the community case everyone’s worried about is the nurse who was deployed at a general ward in Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH).

The fear was that a small outbreak could occur at the hospital, where healthcare workers and vulnerable patients are.

And that seems to have happened.

5 People in TTSH, Including a Nurse & a Doctor, Tested Positive for COVID-19; A Ward is Now in Lockdown

The general ward where the nurse was working has been locked down after more infections linked to the woman emerged.

So far, four more people in TTSH have tested preliminarily positive for COVID-19. They are a doctor and three patients who were being cared for in the same ward – Ward 9D.

As a precautionary measure, all visitors, patients, and staff working in Ward 9D will be placed under quarantine, the hospital said.

Epidemiological investigations and contact tracing are ongoing.

TTSH is also tightening its ward visiting policy, allowing only two pre-registered visitors throughout a patient’s stay.

If you’re wondering why these four cases weren’t included in Wednesday’s case count, it’s because further testing is still being conducted.

One Infected Patient Believed to Be 72YO Woman 

ST reported that one of the infected patients in Ward 9D had been warded at the hospital since 20 Apr for rheumatoid arthritis.

She developed a cough and fever on Sunday (25 Apr).

Her fever persisted for several days and she was asked to undergo a COVID-19 test, which later came back positive.

The woman was supposed to get her first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine yesterday (28 Apr).

Her husband, son, daughter, and a seven-year-old grandson who had visited her will be quarantined.

Nurse Was Vaccinated Before Getting Infected

The nurse, a 46-year-old Filipino woman, completed her vaccination regimen before getting infected.

She received her first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine on 26 Jan and the second dose on 18 Feb.

On Tuesday (27 Apr), the woman developed a cough, sore throat, and body aches. She sought treatment at TTSH.

Her test result came back positive on the same day and she was warded at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases.

The Ministry of Health explained that while vaccines are effective in preventing symptomatic disease for most recipients, it’s possible for vaccinated individuals to get infected.

The woman’s serology test result is pending. Her infection is currently unlinked.

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