COVID-19: Vaccinated migrant worker is sole new local case

Flowers of trumpet trees seen along the banks of the Singapore River on 26 March. (PHOTO: Getty Images)
Flowers of trumpet trees seen along the banks of the Singapore River on 26 March. (PHOTO: Getty Images)

SINGAPORE — A 23 year-old Indian migrant worker who completed his COVID-19 vaccination doses in February has been confirmed as the sole locally transmitted case in Singapore on Sunday (11 April).

The individual, who lives in a migrant workers' dormitory, received his first dose of the vaccine on 25 January, and the second dose on 17 February. This likely accounts for his lack of symptoms and positive serology test, as he has produced antibodies following the vaccination, said MOH.

"This case is a reminder that it is possible for vaccinated individuals to get infected. But the vaccine is effective in preventing symptomatic disease for the vast majority of those vaccinated," added the ministry.

Additionally, there are also 19 new imported cases, all of whom have already been placed on Stay-Home Notice (SHN) since their arrival in Singapore.

This takes the country's total case count to 60,653.

Infected after vaccination

The migrant worker is employed by Seafront Support Company Pte Ltd as a lashing specialist. He resides in a dormitory located at Brani Terminal Avenue.

He was detected when he was tested on Wednesday as part of Rostered Routine Testing (RRT). His pooled test result came back positive the next day, and he was immediately isolated. An individual test was done on 9 April, and his test result came back positive the next day.

He was subsequently conveyed to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases. His earlier tests from RRT – the last being on 24 March – were all negative. His serology test result came back positive but MOH's assessment is that this is likely a current infection.

"Further research is required to determine if the vaccination will also prevent onward transmission of the infection," said MOH.

Epidemiological investigations are in progress. All the identified close contacts of the case, including his dormitory and workplace contacts, have been isolated and placed on quarantine, and will be tested at the start and end of their quarantine period in order to detect asymptomatic cases.

Serological tests will also be conducted for the close contacts to determine if the case could have been infected by them.

Community cases

Overall, the number of new cases in the community has remained stable at two per week in the past fortnight, said MOH. The number of unlinked cases in the community has also remained stable at two per week in the past two weeks.

Amongst the 175 confirmed cases reported from 5-11 April, 68 cases have tested positive for their serology tests, 74 have tested negative, and 33 serology test results are pending.

Imported cases

Amongst the 19 imported cases:

  • One is a Singaporean and five are permanent residents who returned from India and Indonesia

  • Two are dependant's pass holders who arrived from India

  • 10 are work permit holders who arrived from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Myanmar and the Philippines, of whom four are foreign domestic workers

  • One is a short-term visit pass holder who arrived from India for studies in Singapore

Meanwhile, 13 more cases have been discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities. In all, 99.5 per cent of infected patients have fully recovered and been discharged.

Most of the 58 hospitalised cases are stable or improving, while one of them is in the intensive care unit.

A total of 230 patients – with mild symptoms or are clinically well but still test positive – are isolated and cared for at community facilities.

Apart from the 30 patients who have died from COVID-19 complications, 15 others who tested positive for the virus were determined to have died from unrelated causes, including three whose deaths were attributed to a heart attack and another four, whose deaths were attributed to coronary heart disease.

Separately, the Singapore Flyer and Time Capsule has been listed among the additional public places recently visited by COVID-19 cases in the community.

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