21-yr-old Indian man in Singapore tests positive for Covid-19 despite both doses of vaccine

A 21-year-old Indian national, who had received both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, is among the 36 new coronavirus cases reported in Singapore in the last 24 hours, according to a media report on Saturday.

The Indian did not have any symptoms and was detected when he was tested on April 19 as part of the Health Ministry's routine testing of foreign workers, the TODAY newspaper reported.

The man's pooled test result came back positive for Covid-19 and he was immediately isolated.

An individual test was done on April 20 and he was confirmed to have the coronavirus on April 21, the daily reported.

"His earlier tests (routine testing) — the last conducted on April 12 — were all negative for Covid-19. His serology test result (for past infection) has come back positive," said the Ministry of Health.

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The man had received his first dose of vaccine on March 11 and the second on April 1.

The ministry said that complete vaccination against the virus may have resulted in lack of symptoms and positive serology test results.

"The Covid-19 vaccine is effective in preventing symptomatic disease for the vast majority of those vaccinated, but it is possible for vaccinated individuals to get infected. Further research is required to determine if the vaccination will also prevent onward transmission of the infection,” it said.

In total, 36 imported cases of Covid-19 were registered on Friday and all have been placed on 'stay-home notices' upon their arrival here.

The total number of infections in Singapore now stands at 60,943.

Of these, 60,613 people have fully recovered and discharged from care facilities and hospitals, including 10 patients on Friday.

Thirty people have died from complications due to the disease in Singapore.