62-yr old assistant cook at Creative O Preschoolers’ Bay tests positive for Covid-19, preschool to close until March 9

Singapore – A 62-year-old female Singapore Citizen tested positive for Covid-19 on March 4, making her Case 112 in Singapore.

Minister for Social and Family Development, Desmond Lee, shared the news of an assistant cook at Creative O Preschoolers’ Bay who reported for work on February 21 while feeling ill.

“We were told that a few hours into her shift, she started to feel unwell and left work promptly to see a doctor,” said the minister.

The woman was given medical leave and has not been at the preschool since then. “This was the right and socially responsible thing to do,” said Mr Lee on his Facebook post.

The woman, who did not step foot in the preschool for the last 12 days, tested positive for Covid-19 on March 4 and is currently undergoing treatment at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).

The preschool, which is located at the International Business Park in Jurong, will be closed on March 5 and 6 to complete the 14-day period from the lady’s last contact with the centre, said Mr Lee. It will resume operations on March 9, Monday.

Mr Lee added that he spoke to Ms Tan Beng Luan, the school’s principal, on the same night and was advised that the centre will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected “over and above their regular rigorous cleaning regime.”

Parents have also been notified of the centre’s temporary closure and were told to monitor their children’s conditions. “We are confident that she [Ms Tan] and her team will manage this challenging situation,” said Mr Lee.

The minister added that the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) will be closely monitoring the situation and will be working with the management, staff and parents to ensure everyone’s health and safety. “We seek the patience and understanding of the affected parents regarding this late notice of temporary closure, and apologise for the concern and the inconvenience this would cause,” said Mr Lee.

Netizens expressed their appreciation toward the woman for “being a responsible senior” and wished her a speedy recovery.