NUS UTown hostel residents to take COVID-19 test after viral material

NUS UTown hostel residents to take COVID-19 test after viral material found in wastewater sample

Residents of a hostel block at slotxoดาวน์โหลด the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Utown will undergo
a COVID-19 swab test, after viral material was detected in a wastewater sample.

Low levels of COVID-19 viral riboneucleic acid, or RNA, were detected in the wastewater sample collected from
the bathrooms at UTown Residence North Tower on Mar 20, said NUS in a circular on Monday (Mar 22).

All residents in the affected apartments will need to undergo a COVID-19 swab test, said Dr Peck Thian Guan,
senior director for the office of safety, health and environment.

“The swab test has to be performed swiftly to identify whether there are other residents who may be and/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,” he added.

Authorities will be setting up swabbing stations at UTown residence on Tuesday, and all affected residents must
self-isolate and minimise physical contact with others until their swab test results are confirmed as negative,
said Dr Peck.

UTown Residence is a hostel for single and married graduate students, and can house up to 1,700 residents.

In wastewater testing, samples of wastewater are collected from manholes, and the entire process can take
between 30 mins to three hours.

Samples are then processed in the laboratory, and testing is conducted to detect whether SARS-CoV-2 material
is present in the wastewater. SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes COVID-19.