12 more residents, two employees of Acacia Home test positive for Covid-19
Another 14 Covid-19 infections have been linked to Acacia Home after 12 more residents and two staff members were confirmed as infected yesterday.
In a joint statement yesterday, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) said 167 people from the welfare home for destitute people were tested for the virus on Sunday as a precautionary measure after a 62-year-old male resident of the home tested positive on Saturday night.
All 15 cases from the home are now warded at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, while the remaining 153 persons tested negative.
All remaining staff and residents have been placed under quarantine, said MOH and MSF.
Those tested were 115 residents, 31 staff members and 21 contractors who had been to the home to perform essential work in the past four weeks. Contact tracing is ongoing.
The ministries said the home's premises in Admiralty have been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.
All staff of Acacia Home are now required to wear full personal protection equipment and all residents must wear a surgical mask at all times.
The home, which opened in 2018 to support elderly destitute men, is funded by MSF. It temporarily stopped taking in new residents from Saturday.
The joint statement said: "MSF's immediate priority is to support the home, their staff and the residents... MSF is monitoring the situation closely and will be stepping up checks."
All homes were reminded to adhere to precautionary measures in MSF's advisories.
Residential and community-based facilities are urged to be vigilant in conducting health checks on staff and residents, and to wash hands with soap frequently.
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