Overnight change of visitor policy by Tan Tock Seng Hospital; No visitors allowed after two staff, three patients tested positive COVID-19

Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) has changed its visitor policy overnight by not allowing any visitors into the wards for the time being “until further notice”, after two staff and three patients of the hospital tested positive for the COVID-19.

“Please be informed that no visitors will be allowed into our wards until further notice,” it stated on Facebook earlier today (29 Apr).

TTSH earlier announced on its Facebook page – on Wednesday night (28 Apr) – that the hospital will tighten its ward visiting policy until further notice, with only two pre-registered visitors allowed throughout a patient’s stay.

The previous practice by the hospital is to allow two visitors at a time during visiting hours, with up to eight different visitors allowed per day.

“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,” it stated.

TTSH noted that the two staff, a doctor and a nurse, have since been admitted to National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) for treatment.

The nurse is a 46-year-old female Philippines national, who was among the cases reported on Wednesday, which was deployed at Ward 9D – a general ward.

MOH noted that she developed a cough, sore throat and body aches on 27 April, and sought medical treatment at TTSH.

Her test result came back positive for COVID-19 infection on the same day, and she was warded at NCID.

It was stated that the nurse received her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on 26 January, and the second dose on 18 February.

MOH said it detected four more cases who have tested preliminarily positive for COVID-19 infection so far, which includes the doctor and three patients who are being cared for in the same ward.

“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,” said TTSH.