MUIS advisory for general Muslim public

1. As of 13 March 2020, a total of five Singaporean individuals who were part of a group attending a large religious gathering in KL have tested positive for COVID-19. Based on media reports, at least 37 Bruneians and 77 Malaysians who attended the gathering, or were their close contacts, have also tested positive.

2. It is possible for more cases to emerge from persons who had visited the mosque, or further spread to their close contacts. MUIS is actively assisting the Ministry of Health (MOH) in their efforts to conduct contact tracing, to limit the spread of the virus. Thus far MOH’s contract tracing efforts have revealed that the individuals who tested positive visited a total of 10 mosques during their infectious period (See Table in PDF below).

3. Congregants who visited any of the mosques listed in the table during the specified period in the list below may have been exposed to a COVID-19 case. These congregants are advised to monitor their health closely for 2 weeks from their last visit to the affected mosques, for any fever or respiratory symptoms (cough, sore throat, runny nose or breathlessness) and seek medical attention promptly if they have these symptoms or feel unwell. They should also wear a mask and call the clinic ahead of the visit and inform the clinic doctor of their attendance at the affected activities that is linked to a COVID-19 case.

4. This is a very timely reminder for each of us to take the necessary precautions to keep ourselves and our loved ones healthy in these times. This must surely include best practices in personal hygiene as well as socially responsible behaviour. These include:

• See a doctor when unwell, even with mild flu-like symptoms, and stay at home to prevent spreading illness to others.

• Keep to the same family physician for better continuity of care.

• Practise self-isolation at home when unwell and as advised by a doctor.

• Avoid large community gatherings as well as large religious gatherings overseas during this period and defer all non-essential travel to mainland China, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Spain.

• Frequent hand washing with soap and water as well as avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

• Look out for one another, monitor the health of your family and friends, and keep reminding one another to be socially responsible and to maintain strict personal hygiene.

List of Mosques Attended by Confirmed Cases (19 Mar) [PDF, 86 KB]

Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura in consultation with Ministry of Health