SINGAPORE: Megamall Mustafa Centre, a COVID-19 cluster, will be closed for at least two weeks, the mall’s management said on Saturday (Apr 4).

In the meantime, Mustafa Centre on Syed Alwi Road will be professionally disinfected, the mall’s managing director Mustaq Ahmad told CNA.



The Ministry of Health (MOH) identified Mustafa Centre as a new cluster on Thursday. As of Friday, there were 14 COVID-19 patients linked to the mall, according to daily updates from the MOH.

"The moment we were informed that our staff had tested positive, we immediately took steps to inform all staff who had close contact with the affected staff to take leave. We also disinfected the affected department(s)," Mr Mustaq said.



While Mr Mustaq said most of the cases were employees, and that they did not work in the same department, he did not have an exact number.



“It was not one group of employees who were working together,” he said.

The mall employs about 1,400 employees, he said.



Mr Mustaq added that the mall implemented temperature-taking for all staff each time they enter the mall premises in February.



With most workplaces having to shut down from next Tuesday, Mr Mustaq was not certain he could reopen all the departments in the mall, which sells several items ranging from groceries to shoes to electronics.

“We have many departments, so it depends on what we can reopen” Mr Mustaq said.



Most workplaces, with the exception of essential services and key economic sectors, will be closed from Apr 7 to May 4, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced on Friday.

“Food establishments, markets and supermarkets, clinics, hospitals, utilities, transport and key banking services will remain open. They are essential services,” Mr Lee said.



Mustafa Centre is among the newly identified COVID-19 clusters, which include rooftop bar Ce La Vi, Singapore Cricket Club and S11 Dormitory @ Punggol.

As of Friday, Singapore had a total of 1,114 COVID-19 cases, with 473 in hospital.

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