Jurong Fishery Port cluster rising ‘worryingly’, seeding cases in various markets, communities around them

More COVID-19 cases are expected in the coming days, as Singapore steps up efforts to detect them to contain their spread in the community, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Monday (Jul 19). 

The statement comes as Singapore reported 163 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases on Monday, the highest daily total since Aug 10, 2020 when Singapore identified 188 new infections. 

Of the 163 cases, 116 were linked to the Jurong Fishery Port cluster, while 20 were linked to the KTV cluster.

There are a total of 193 cases linked to the KTVs, while 179 are linked to the Jurong Fishery Port cluster. Both clusters are linked, Minister of Health Ong Ye Kung said on Monday. 

Mr Ong added that the infections are genetically different from the virus variant seen in other local clusters too. 

“Genetically, they differ from the Delta variant that infected Tan Tock Seng Hospital and Changi Airport, but are closer to what we have detected in imported cases from Indonesia,” he said, adding that studies are ongoing and the Ministry of Health will explain its findings to the public when there are more conclusive results. 

While the KTV lounges is “settling down”, as the number of positives cases are trending down day by day, Mr Ong said the Jurong Fishery Port cluster is “rising worryingly”, because it is seeding cases in various markets and the communities around them. 

The MOH has already detected cases among fishmongers working at 10 markets: Albert Centre Market & Food Centre, Ang Mo Kio Central Market & Food Centre, 630 Bedok Reservoir Road Market & Food Centre, 497 Jurong West Street 41 Market, 505 Jurong West Street 52 Market, Kim Keat Palm Market & Food Centre, Mayflower Wet Market & Food Centre, Teck Ghee Market & Food Centre, 146 Teck Whye Avenue Market and Tekka Centre.

MOH said it is working with the People’s Association (PA) to distribute antigen rapid test (ART) self-test kits to individuals who had visited selected markets and food centres in the last 14 days. 

The collection will run on Jul 20 and Jul 21 at Residents’ Committee Centres in the vicinity of the following locations: 

1. Cheng San Market & Cooked Food Centre (527 Ang Mo Kio Ave 10)
2. Chong Boon Market & Food Centre (453A Ang Mo Kio Ave 10)
3. Geylang Serai Market and Food Centre (1 Geylang Serai)
4. Haig Road Market & Food Centre (14 Haig Rd)

Those eligible for the test kits are “strongly encouraged” to collect it and perform self-testing. Individuals can check online for the nearest Residents’ Committee Centre for self-collection. 

There were also 17 unlinked cases reported on Monday. MOH said the number of unlinked cases in the community has also increased from eight cases in the week before, to 45 cases in the past week. 

Mr Ong has urged for those who are unvaccinated, especially the elderly, to stay home as much as possible. 

“Even for the vaccinated, if you have an unvaccinated senior at home, try to minimise your movement and social interactions too, as you may inadvertently bring the virus home and harm the senior,” he said.