120 bus drivers have tested positive for COVID-19 to date, according to the Land Transport Authority (LTA).
The Straits Times reported on Monday (30 Aug) that the 120 bus drivers make up 1.3 per cent of the 9,500 bus captains in Singapore.
Clusters involving bus interchanges have expanded to seven since the first two in Bishan and Sengkang were announced on 14 Aug.
An LTA spokesperson told ST that there are currently 23 infected bus drivers in the Bishan cluster and 14 in the Sengkang cluster.
The Toa Payoh and Punggol clusters make up two new clusters that were spotted on 26 Aug. The former involves 33 bus drivers while the latter entails 13.
Three other clusters, which were announced over the last three days, currently involve nine bus drivers at Clementi interchange, 15 at Jurong East interchange and 13 at Boon Lay interchange.
The Ministry of Health stated on its website that another 54 cases involving staff members from these interchanges and their contacts are also linked to the seven clusters.
According to the LTA spokesman, many of the cases were picked up early and clusters isolated as a result of community surveillance testing and proactive regular testing.
Four of the 120 bus drivers were not vaccinated, while the rest have received their full jabs. Most bus drivers are either asymptomatic or only exhibiting mild symptoms.
Overall, 99 per cent of front-line public transport workers have completed their first dose of a vaccine. Over 95 per cent are fully vaccinated, said the spokesman.
The spokesman noted that once a cluster is identified at a public transport node such as the interchanges, “deep cleaning and disinfection are carried out at the location as well as on all affected buses and common facilities”.
“This is in addition to the stepped-up cleaning regime that operators have put in place since last year,” he told ST.
Due to the recent cluster developments, workers will have to take their meals and smoke breaks alone even if they are fully vaccinated, on top of the existing safe management measures, said the spokesman.
