SINGAPORE, July 14 — There were 56 new Covid-19 cases recorded today, 42 of them linked to a rapidly growing cluster involving KTV or karaoke lounges.
One of the 42 new infections linked to the KTV cluster is a passenger on a World Dream cruise ship, which had to return to dock in Singapore several hours earlier than scheduled, so that he could disembark for further tests.
Speaking to the media today, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said that the formation and growth of the KTV cluster is a “troubling and disappointing” development.
“We knew about cases like that happening in Korea, in Hong Kong… Nightlife (means) people coming very close together, some with hostesses and leading to big clusters,” he said. “So we have never allowed such activities for more than one year.”
The Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Monday that it is investigating a group of Vietnamese social hostesses with Covid-19 who had frequented KTV lounges or clubs now operating as food-and-beverage (F&B) outlets.
This includes special testing operations for all staff members of Supreme KTV at Far East Shopping Centre, Empress KTV at Tanglin Shopping Centre and Club Dolce at Balestier Point.
MOH added that it will also extend free Covid-19 testing to members of the public who had visited the above premises, any similar lounges or clubs operating as F&B outlets, as well as those who interacted with the Vietnamese social hostesses in any setting between June 29 and July 12.
He added that the KTV lounges and hostesses involved in the clusters will be investigated by the authorities and the police will release more information today.
Ong urged more patrons and customers at these lounges to get themselves tested. More than 100 of them have done so thus far, he added. — TODAY
