NUS hostel residents to be tested for Covid after viral material discovered in waste water

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Singapore—Traces of Covid-19 have been found in the waste water of a hostel block at the National University of Singapore (NUS), resulting in the need for residents of the hostel to be tested for the infection.

The director of the university’s office of safety, health and environment, Dr Peck Thian Guan, said that on Saturday (Mar 20), low levels of Covid-19 viral ribonucleic acid (RNA) were discovered in a sample from an inspection chamber connected to the bathrooms at UTown Residence North Tower, straitstimes.com (ST) reports.

“The swab test has to be performed swiftly to identify whether there are other residents who may be or had been infected with Covid-19.

This is so that we can provide immediate medical care and support, while taking the necessary steps to cut the transmission of Covid-19,” ST quotes him as saying.

A waste-water surveillance programme was implemented in December last year in all the NUS hostels to ensure that the possible infections would be found in a “safe, effective and non-intrusive way”, according to Dr Peck.

He made these remarks in a circular released on Monday (Mar 22).

The swabbing of residents will begin on Tuesday, when stations will be set up at UTown Residence.

Dr Peck added that, as a precautionary step, the Ministry of Health has made swab tests for all residents from the affected apartments compulsory.

It is unclear whether everyone from UTown Residence North Tower will be tested or only those from the affected apartments.

The residents from the affected apartments have also been told to isolate themselves for the time being, as well as limit contact with other people while waiting for their swab test results.

Those who are not from the affected apartments have been informed they need to keep away from that part of the hostel, the swabbing stations, and their surroundings.

They also need to declare their temperature via uNivUS, the NUS app, and monitor their health.

Dr Peck asked the community to stay calm and follow the precautionary steps outlined in the circular, and not spread “unverified information.”

Updates on the swab results, which could take around two to three days, will also be released.

A maximum of 1,700 people can live at UTown Residence, which is designated for both single and married graduate students.

在废水中发现病毒物质后，国大宿舍居民将接受Covid检测

新加坡—在新加坡国立大学（NUS）一家旅馆的宿舍废水中发现了Covid-19的痕迹，因此需要对旅馆的居民进行感染检查。

该大学安全，健康与环境办公室主任Peck Thian Guan博士说，在星期六（3月20日），从与之相连的检查室的样品中发现了低水平的Covid-19病毒核糖核酸（RNA）。在UTown公寓北塔，浴室 straitstimes .COM（ST）报告。

“必须迅速进行拭子测试，以识别是否还有其他居民可能或曾经感染过Covid-19。

这样一来，我们就可以提供立即的医疗护理和支持，同时采取必要的措施来减少Covid-19的传播。” ST引用他的话说。

佩克博士说，去年12月在所有国大旅馆中实施了废水监测计划，以确保以“安全，有效和非侵入性的方式”发现可能的感染。

他在周一（3月22日）发布的通函中作了上述表示。

居民将在星期二开始擦拭，届时将在UTown Residence设立车站。