COVID-19: New Cluster Emerges At Little Gems Preschool In Ang Mo Kio

Singapore 66 new COVID-19 cases were reported on Monday (April 6), along with two new clusters, the Ministry of Health (MOH)  said in an update.

All but one are local cases.

Among the local cases, 35 are linked to existing clusters—25 to linked to clusters at foreign worker dormitories and 11 to non-dormitory clusters. Contact tracing is ongoing for the remaining 30 cases.

At the same time, two new clusters have also been identified, said MOH.

Two new COVID-19 clusters

One new cluster formed at Little Gems Preschool at Ang Mo Kio Street 62. | Image Source: Little Gem Preschool/Facebook

Two of the new COVID-19 clusters that emerged: one at a Kranji Lodge and another at Little Gems Preschool at Ang Mo Kio Street 62.

The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), in a media statement, said it was informed on 4 April that teaching staff at Little Gems Preschool at 3 Ang Mo Kio Street 62 tested positive for COVID-19. Contact tracing is ongoing.

It ordered temporary closure for the preschool centre which will last until 14 April. “This covers the 14-day incubation period as the staff was last in the Centre on 31 March 2020,” said ECDA, adding that all affected staff and children will be placed on a Leave of Absence (LOA) during the closure period.

During the closure, the centre 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.

ECDA said it will “continue to monitor the situation closely, and work with the management, staff, parents and children at the centre to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all.”

The preschool centre will resume limited service provision on Wednesday (15 April), barring any new developments, to serve the group of parents who are working in essential services and are unable to extend their alternative care arrangements beyond the closure period. 

Preschools, Student Care Centres To Be Suspended Until 4 May

All preschools and student care centres will suspend general services from next week 8 April, in alignment with the Multi-Ministry Taskforce’s latest efforts to further enhance safe distancing measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The agency, along with the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), said it will continue to closely monitor the COVID-19 situation to assess if these measures need to be prolonged.