Coronavirus pandemic

226 new coronavirus cases in Singapore, including prison inmate

Singapore's total number of Covid-19 patients is 53,051. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

There were 226 new coronavirus cases yesterday, including one community case: An inmate who was admitted to Changi Prison Complex on July 30.

The 26-year-old Sri Lankan man, who is on a short-term visit pass, was tested as part of the Singapore Prison Service's proactive screening of newly admitted inmates.

He had been segregated from the general inmate population since his admission, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said.

The man also served an earlier sentence in prison but had tested negative for his entry and exit swabs then on July 2 and July 22, respectively. He is currently unlinked to other known cases.

The rest of yesterday's new patients comprise nine imported cases who had been placed on stay-home notice upon their arrival in Singapore from India, Japan and the Philippines, as well as 216 migrant workers staying in dormitories.

Among the imported cases was a one-year-old boy who arrived from India last month. The Indian national was confirmed to have the coronavirus on Sunday.

He holds a dependant's pass and is a contact of a previous case.

Another imported case is a permanent resident - a 40-year-old man - who returned to Singapore from India on July 22.

Yesterday's Covid-19 patient update takes Singapore's total to 53,051.

The average number of new daily cases in the community during a week has decreased from five cases two weeks ago to two in the past week.

The number of unlinked cases in the community during a week has also fallen from a daily average of three cases to one over the same periods.

MOH also said in its update that the clusters linked to Keppel Shipyard and Paya Lebar Quarter Tower 2 have been closed because no new cases have been linked to the clusters in the past two incubation periods, or 28 days.

With 253 cases discharged yesterday, 47,164 have now fully re-covered from the disease and been discharged.

A total of 115 patients remain in hospital, while 5,730 are recuperating in community facilities.

There is one patient in critical condition in the intensive care unit.

Singapore has had 27 deaths from Covid-19 complications, while 15 who tested positive have died of other causes.


  • Update on cases

  • New cases: 226

    Imported: 9 (1 permanent resident, 3 work pass holders, 2 work permit holders, 3 dependant's pass holders)

    In community: 1 (1 short-term visit pass holder)

    In dormitories: 216

    Active cases: 5,845

    In hospitals: 115 (1 in ICU)

    In community facilities: 5,730

    Deaths: 27

    Patients with Covid-19 who died from other causes: 15

    Total discharged: 47,164

    Discharged yesterday: 253

    TOTAL CASES: 53,051

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 04, 2020, with the headline 226 new coronavirus cases in Singapore, including prison inmate. Subscribe