The coronavirus really seems to like Bukit Merah.
First, it was the cluster at 115 Bukit Merah View market that had all of us concerned. That cluster is still growing, but since then, another two clusters in the area have formed. Yikes.
When so many infections are detected in one area, it’s a good idea to carry out widespread testing there to fish out more cases.
And that’s exactly what the Ministry of Health (MOH) has been doing in the affected food centres as well as HDB blocks surrounding it.
It looks like the coronavirus has gone from tabao-ing food, to visiting homes, and now to grocery shopping; this time, the affected area is an NTUC FairPrice outlet.
MOH Investigating COVID-19 Cases in Bukit Merah NTUC FairPrice
Yesterday (21 Jun), MOH said that it is investigating cases of COVID-19 infection among those who had visited an NTUC FairPrice outlet at 166 Bukit Merah Central.
“In order to disrupt any wider, undetected community transmission, we will conduct special testing operations for all staff who have been working at the premise,” it said.
It is also offering free COVID-19 testing to members of the public who had visited the affected outlet between 3 June and 21 June.
All visitors during the specified dates are advised to monitor their health closely, and minimise social interactions as far as possible for 14 days from their date of visit, it said.
They are encouraged to see a doctor immediately if they feel unwell.
The NTUC FairPrice store has also been added to MOH’s list of places visited by infectious COVID-19 cases in the past week with these specified timings:
- 11 June: From 12:30pm to 1:35pm
- 11 June: From 12:35 pm to 1:35pm
- 12 June: From 10:05am to 10:35am
- 13 June: From 10:20am to 11:15am
- 14 June: From 7:55pm to 8:30pm
- 17 June: From 10:35am to 12:40pm
You can head here for more information on the free swab tests.
FairPrice Outlet Near 2 Affected Food Centres
The FairPrice outlet is a 10- to 15-minute walk or one bus stop away from 115 Bukit Merah View Market and Food Centre, and a short walk away from Redhill Market and Food Centre.
Bukit Merah View market is now our largest cluster with 78 cases, while MOH has carried out surveillance testing at Redhill Market and Food Centre after detecting two infections in the area.
2 New Clusters Detected in Area
Yesterday (21 Jun), MOH said that two new clusters, both in the Bukit Merah area, had been identified.
One of the new clusters is at 119 Bukit Merah View, which had two more cases linked to it yesterday, namely:
- A 63-year-old Singaporean man who is employed by CSP Maintenance Pte Ltd as a cleaner at Enabling Village (20 Lengkok Bahru)
- A 62-year-old Singaporean woman who is a homemaker
The other new cluster, at 121 Bukit Merah View, is made up of three previously reported cases that are now linked.
All are retirees aged 86, 83, and 80 respectively.
More testing certainly isn’t a bad thing, as it’s the only way to draw a ring around those infected to protect the community.
Feature Image: Heng Lim / Shutterstock.com (Image is for illustration purposes only)