An increase in the number of new COVID-19 cases in Singapore has led Maritime Safety Queensland to require ship agents to find out what infection-control protocols were used if a vessel crew was changed-over in the city-state.
Maritime Safety Queensland has acknowledged in its most recent update (#98) that the spike in numbers was seen “predominantly in its foreign itinerate workforce (and reportedly geographically confined) as opposed to more generally in the broad population”.
Data from the Singapore Ministry of Health confirms that few people in the general Singaporean community are being found to present with COVID-19 whereas the increase is being found in dormitories “where we are picking up many more cases because extensive testing”.
As the Ministry of Health statement points out, the workers are being monitored in isolation facilities or the general wards of hospitals.
Shipping Australia also understands that crew changes are now no longer carried out in Singapore other than in “exceptional circumstances”.
Shipping Australia argues that given:
- numbers have only spiked in worker-dormitories
- numbers are only up because of increased testing
- workers are being cared for in isolation facilities
- crew changes are largely not being carried out in Singapore
then these reporting requirements are unnecessary and should be wound back.
In other Queensland-related maritime news, MSQ has ruled that the 14-day self quarantine period is calculated from the last day of departure from an overseas port provided that there is no illness on board.
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