SINGAPORE: Singapore reported 163 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases as of noon on Monday (Jul 19), with 106 infections linked to the Jurong Fishery Port cluster and 19 cases with links to the KTV lounges cluster.
A total of 137Â of the locally transmitted infections were linked to previous cases, with 66 already placed in quarantine and 71 cases detected through surveillance testing.
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Another 26 infections were not linked to previous cases, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in its preliminary daily update.
Among the new cases, there is one person above the age of 70 who is unvaccinated and at risk of serious illness, MOH said.
As of 5.30pm, the KTV cluster stands at a total of 192 cases while the Jurong Fishery Port and Hong Lim Market & Food Centre cluster has 160 infections.Â
There were also nine imported cases, who were all placed on stay-home notice or isolated upon arrival.
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Four of these cases were detected upon arrival in Singapore, while five developed the illness during their stay-home notice or isolation period.
In total, Singapore reported 172 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday.
This is the highest total number of new COVID-19 cases recorded since Aug 10 when 188 new infections were identified.
MOH will provide an update on Monday night about the COVID-19 situation in Singapore.
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Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said on Monday that the clusters in KTV lounges and Jurong Fishery Port were “linked”, and involved a Delta virus variant that differed from infections found in other local clusters.
The cluster in KTV lounges was “settling down” with more than 5,000 employees, hostesses and patrons tested, and the number testing positive trending down day by day, said Mr Ong in a Facebook post.
“But the Jurong Fishery Port cluster is rising worryingly, because it is seeding cases in various markets, and the communities around them,” he said.
In a separate update, MOH said that it concluded COVID-19 testing for residents, visitors and people who interacted with residents of 639 Rowell Road on Sunday, with all 456 individuals testing negative.
TIGHTERÂ MEASURES KICK IN, UNVACCINATED ELDERLY URGED TO STAY HOME
From Monday, up to two people can dine-in together at hawker centres, food courts and coffee shops under tightened measures in effect until Aug 8.
At other food and beverage outlets, groups of up to five people can dine in together if all are vaccinated. For unvaccinated people, the group size limit is reduced to two.
MOH on Sunday urged people who have not been vaccinated, especially the elderly, to “stay home as much as possible” over the next few weeks and avoid going out for non-essential reasons.
The ministry also urged vaccinated people who had unvaccinated seniors at home to avoid crowds or “extensive social interactions” to minimise the risk of bringing COVID-19 home.
MOH said it was “particularly concerned” that the elderly may be infected at wet markets, where COVID-19 clusters have been detected in recent days.
Infection clusters have emerged among fishmongers who visited the Jurong Fishery Port to collect stocks and sell at the markets.
Fresh fish and seafood stallholders at markets managed by the National Environment Agency or its appointed operators were on Sunday ordered to stop operations. They were also ordered to undergo a COVID-19 test and self-isolate at home until they tested negative.
As of Monday, Singapore has reported a total of 63,245Â COVID-19 cases.
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