Unexpected Hospital Hangover: The TTSH Covid Cluster
Just when anyone thought the phrase “sick day” was only for the office, Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) hit a new low: a suspect Covid cluster that’s turning the building into a paper‑thin prison. A nurse, a doctor, and three patients-tested positive, forcing the hospital to put visitors on a permanent “no lunch” list.
What’s Happening Inside the Walls?
- The 46‑year‑old Filipino nurse is now officially flagged as a community case. She was heroically sent to Ward 9D, only for that ward to go into lockdown.
- All patients were swabbed and isolated – because apparently, the ward didn’t want an impromptu “cluster dance” in the common area.
- Office‑after‑office, we see a lot of people still showing up for appointments, emergency visits, and brunch. The food court is still bustling.
This situation has ripped the hospital’s “visitor-friendly” veneer. TTSH announced that only two pre‑registered visitors can attend any patient’s stay, and anyone who showed up after the restriction was meaningless about staying out of reach.
Rationed Appointments, Still a “Would Do It Again” Attitude
Take Mr Tan, 62, who was rushing into a routine check‑up and happened upon the Covid update. “I didn’t cancel because I trust TTSH,” he said, taking comfort in the fact that both he and his father were vaccinated. The palpable confidence makes you wish the frontier of pandemic safety had a hashtag.
And freelance producer Dorothy Goh, who was staying in the hospital’s family ward, was hoping the situation would be contained. “Very unfortunate,” she mused, “but I think this is under control.”
Details That Trumped Our Expectations
- One patient, a 72‑year‑old woman with rheumatoid arthritis, had stepped into the hospital on April 20 and found herself wrapped up in a mysterious cough-and-fever episode. A doctor suggested a Covid test, and the result was a resounding, “Yes, you’re infected.”
- Staff and patients will be swabbed across all wards. That’s TTSH’s way of saying, “Maybe you’re unlucky, but at least we’re doing something.”
Bottom Line
The TTSH cluster is drawing a permanent “Keep Your Distance” banner in the hospital’s corridors and a very heavy footfall in its food court. The hospital is trying to keep this case from becoming a full‑scale epidemic, but for now, the best advice: stay away, be cautious, and visit only if absolutely necessary.
