Tan Tock Seng Hospital has barred visitors from its wards until further notice after a vaccinated nurse became infected with the coronavirus, followed by likely positives for a doctor and three patients.
The decision to bar all visitors came a day after the hospital locked down one of its general wards, Ward 9D, where the virus had emerged. The nurse who fell ill, a 46-year-old Philippines national, worked in that ward.
“Please be informed that no visitors will be allowed into our wards until further notice. These are necessary measures to contain the situation and protect our patients and staff,” the hospital, located in Novena, announced today.
Please be informed that no visitors will be allowed into our wards until further notice.
Should you have any concerns,…
Posted by Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) on Wednesday, 28 April 2021
The nurse was one of three locally transmitted COVID-19 cases reported by the Health Ministry yesterday. The other two were an immigration officer who had worked at Changi Airport and a construction project manager. The nurse was tested after developing a cough, sore throat and body aches on Tuesday, despite completing her vaccination series in February.
While the vaccines in circulation are highly effective, so-called breakthrough infections can still occur, though they are unlikely to result in serious illness.
“As a precautionary measure, all staff who treated the infected patients, as well as all visitors, patients and staff working in Ward 9D will be placed on quarantine,” the ministry said. “Epidemiological investigations and contact tracing are ongoing. As we are conducting further testing for these 4 cases, they have not been included in today’s case count.”
Two new infection clusters have emerged in the last month involving workers from Papua New Guinea and residents from the Westlite Woodlands worker dormitory. The country recorded 61,086 infections and 30 deaths since the outbreak began.
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