Covid-19: New cluster shutters Marina Bay Sands Casino for two weeks from today

SINGAPORE (July 22): A fresh Covid-19 cluster at The Marina Bay Sands Casino has prompted the authorities here to close the casino for two weeks, reported Bloomberg today.

This is amid a string of new clusters in the island state such as the Jurong Fishery Port and KTV clusters that forced the government to tighten community safe management measures by reverting to Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) from July 22 to Aug 18.

Eleven Covid-19 cases have been linked to the casino, which is owned by Las Vegas Sands Corp and is also a part of a large complex including a hotel, dining and luxury shopping mall.

In a statement by the republic’s Health Ministry on July 22, the casino will be closed until Aug 5 for deep cleaning to break the spread of the virus. Testing will be done on all staff working at the casino.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said the fishery cluster prompted it to re-impose stricter measures, including a ban on dining-in and limiting social interactions, starting from today.

According to government data, 454 cases are reported so far linked to the fishery port; while infections at karaoke clubs rose to 215, making these the two main hotspots in Singapore.

Meanwhile, about half of Singapore’s population has received two doses of vaccine, Ong said, adding that the number is expected to rise by a percentage point daily to about 64% or more in two weeks.

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