Tan Tock Seng Hospital nurse who was vaccinated tests positive for Covid-19 along with doctor and 3 patients

Singapore — A nurse at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) was one of the three new confirmed and verified cases of locally transmitted Covid-19 infection in the community, the Ministry of Health reported on Wednesday (Apr 28).

The 46-year-old Philippines national had her first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine on Jan 26 and the second dose on Feb 18.

A doctor and three patients in the general ward — Ward 9D — where she worked were also found Covid-positive in preliminary tests.

The hospital locked down the ward and tested all the patients and staff there after the nurse was found Covid-positive.

She developed a cough, sore throat and body ache on April 27. Her test result came back positive for Covid-19 infection on the same day.

MOH said her serology test result is pending.

In a Facebook post, the hospital said, “Close staff contacts have been swabbed and are being placed on leave of absence pending further investigations. We have taken immediate measures to lock down the affected ward and are swabbing and isolating all patients there. Visitors will not be allowed to the ward till further notice”.

“As a further precaution, we are tightening our ward visiting policy till further notice allowing only 2 pre-registered visitors throughout a patient’s stay. We will monitor the situation and review our policy accordingly. We will also be swabbing all staff in the main hospital’s ward block”, the hospital added.

The MOH added that “the COVID-19 vaccine is effective in preventing symptomatic disease for the vast majority of those vaccinated, but it is possible for vaccinated individuals to get infected”. /TISG