SINGAPORE – Jurong West Central, Aljunied, Bedok North, Tampines East, Sengkang Town Center and Woodlands East are some of the areas that have been highlighted as places frequently visited by Covid-19 patients over the past three days .

The public can now access this information on a map, first published on Friday (October 1).

Available on the Department of Health’s Covid-19 situation report portal, the map breaks down the entire land area of ​​Singapore, including the southern islands, into subzones.

A Straits Times check showed that as of Thursday, 12 subareas have been frequently visited by between 230 and 560 Covid-19 cases in the past three days.

They are: Yunnan, Jurong West Central, Kian Teck and the Jurong River area in the west; Aljunied, Geylang East, Bedok North and Tampines East to the east; Sengkang city center in the northeast; and North Coast, Woodlands East and Senoko South to the north.

There are five bands in all, with areas grouped and shaded based on the number of Covid-19 cases visited. The highest is between 230 and 560 cases.

The multi-ministerial Covid-19 task force said last Friday that it hopes the map can help guide people on their movements and activities.

“People who have visited these hot spots during the same period are encouraged to monitor their health, perform rapid antigen test self-swabs regularly throughout the 10 days following their potential exposure, and to minimize any unnecessary interaction with others, ”the task force said. so.

He added that SafeEntry and TraceTogether data would continue to be used to inform individuals of recent confirmed close contact with infected people or recent exposure to an area of ​​increased spread.

Professor Teo Yik Ying, dean of the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at the National University of Singapore, said the concentration of cases reflected by the map is not surprising, as he expects infections are quite common in satellite towns and residential estates, where many people are located and move around.

However, he added that, coupled with data showing the number of asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic cases in Singapore, the map shows that although the virus is widespread, many people are able to recover on their own without medical intervention. .

Professor Teo said: “In the future, such maps may also be less relevant when Singapore fully pivots towards endemic Covid-19, as asymptomatic cases may not even realize they are infected.”

Mr Jeremy Toh, a resident of Tampines East, said that even before the map was released he had been cautious, especially when visiting crowded places in the area.

“I tend to avoid crowded places as much as possible and will continue to do so,” he said.

Woodlands resident Thien Jun Tong, who lives next to a high-traffic area, said the map would not affect the way he conducts his daily activities given the trend towards an endemic Covid-19 situation .

“I will continue as I did – work from home and go out for meals while taking the necessary precautions,” he said.

He added that the card can be useful for people with low immunity, such as the elderly, who might check it before heading to crowded places.