First community case in 16 days dined with 12 family members at restaurant

Singapore's first Covid-19 community case in 16 days is a Singaporean who works as a service engineer and had dinner with 12 family members at Seoul Garden in Tampines Mall last Saturday, the Health Ministry (MOH) said yesterday.

The family had occupied three tables, and there was mingling among the groups. Investigations are ongoing to assess if there had been any breach of safe management measures, MOH added.

The case is currently unlinked, and epidemiological investigations are under way.

Meanwhile, all his identified close contacts, including family members at the dinner, have been isolated and placed on quarantine. They will be tested at the start and end of their quarantine period, so that asymptomatic cases will be detected, the ministry said.

The man, who developed a fever and sore throat on Monday, works at Master Systems Marine. His job entails going on board vessels docked at Marina South Pier and West Coast Pier for servicing and maintenance of ships' navigational systems. He typically worked alone and had no interaction with vessel crew except for a supervising crew member.

He reported that he wore a surgical mask during his work on vessels and at the office, and safe distancing and safe management measures were adhered to, said MOH.

After developing symptoms, he went to a general practitioner clinic the next day, where he was tested.

"We urge everyone to continue to exercise social responsibility and to cooperate with the prevailing measures.

"This is yet another reminder that the virus has not been eradicated and that new cases and clusters can easily emerge in our community if we let our guard down," said the ministry.

Besides the Seoul Garden outlet in Tampines Mall, Wisteria Mall was among places visited by Covid-19 patients while they were infectious, said MOH yesterday.

The service engineer is among five new coronavirus cases announced yesterday.

The other four patients were imported cases who had been placed on stay-home notices on arrival in Singapore.

Two are dependant's pass holders who arrived from Pakistan. The other two are a work permit holder from Malaysia and a work pass holder who arrived from Nepal. Yesterday's new cases take Singapore's total to 58,195.

---

By the numbers

5

New cases

1

New cases in community

4

Imported cases

58,195

Total cases

28

Deaths

13

Discharged yesterday

43

In hospital

58,089

Total recovered