Preschool Teacher Among New Cases of COVID-19, School To Close For 2 Weeks

The teacher was last in the preschool on Friday (13 March) and tested positive for the virus on Sunday morning.

A preschool teacher at MY World Preschool in Bukit Merah is among the newest confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Singapore, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Sunday (15 March).

The teaching staff, a 28-year-old female Filipino national, was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on Sunday morning and is currently warded in an isolation room at National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).

The National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) building. | Image source: NCID Website.

Identified as Case 221, she was said to have no travel history to any of the affected countries and regions, but she one of the close contacts of Case 204—an American National who had recently been in Japan.

MY World Preschool to be closed for cleaning

The teacher was last in the preschool on Friday (13 March) and tested positive for the virus on Sunday morning.

The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), the agency which oversees childcare centres and pre-schools in Singapore, on Sunday said MY World Preschool, located at 52 Lengkok Bahru, will be closed for two weeks from 16 to 27 March.

“MY World Preschool will conduct a thorough cleaning and disinfection of the preschool premises, and is closely monitoring its staff and parents on the health of their children,” said ECDA.

MY World Preschool | Image source: Google Maps

This is in addition to earlier precautionary measures that were implemented in preschools since January which include restricting visitors, suspending communal activities and excursions and stepped up temperature screening for students and staff.

The pre-school’s staff and students are advised to stay home during the closure period and to avoid going to crowded places or attending social gatherings, as well as observe social distancing ECDA said.

All students, teachers and staff members will be given a leave of absence during the closure period.

The agency had earlier urged the all preschool children and staff to not travel overseas, including to neighbouring countries, while those who have made plans to travel during the March school holidays, were advised to review travel plans.

Preschool Teacher among 14 new cases announced on 15 March

The teacher is one of the 14 new cases—Singapore’s largest single-day increase to date—announced by MOH on Sunday.

Singapore has reported 226 cases of COVID-19 as of 15 March.

The government also announced today its expanded travel restrictions which will impose a 14-day stay-home order to people entering the country with recent travel history to ASEAN countries, Japan, Switzerland or the United Kingdom.

National Development Minister Lawrence Wong said the restriction applies to all travellers except for Singaporeans and Malaysians using sea and land crossings with Malaysia.