383 new coronavirus cases in Singapore, including 14 in community

Migrant workers living in dormitories comprise most of the confirmed cases. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

SINGAPORE - There are 383 new coronavirus cases preliminarily confirmed as of Sunday noon (June 7), taking Singapore's total to 37,910.

These include 14 community cases, 10 of whom are Singaporeans or permanent residents while four are work pass and student pass holders.

Nine of the cases were proactively screened as part of the Ministry of Health's (MOH) active case finding to identify cases early and isolate them.

Epidemiological investigations are ongoing for the rest.

Migrant workers living in dormitories comprise the other 369 cases.

More details will be announced later on Sunday by the MOH.

Of the nine cases picked up by proactive screening, six were a result of proactive testing of school staff and students above the age of 12 diagnosed with acute respiratory infection when they first saw a doctor.

They are from Anglican High School, CHIJ Katong Convent, CHIJ St Theresa's Convent, Geylang Methodist Secondary School, Hwa Chong Institution, and Ascensia International School.

Referring to the four students and one non-teaching staff from MOE schools, the Education Ministry said they were not a cluster as the cases were from five different schools.

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The cases had mild symptoms and evidence suggested that they were likely infected during the end of the circuit breaker period, and not after schools reopened on June 2, the ministry added.

In total, 29 staff and 100 students who were in contact with the confirmed cases in schools have each been issued with a 14-day leave of absence by MOE or home quarantine order.

On Saturday, there were 344 new Covid-19 cases, among whom were seven community cases.

Four of these are work permit holders picked up by the ministry's proactive screening, either of workers in essential services or migrant workers in public healthcare institutions.

Two are Singaporeans: a cleaner at the pre-school section of Sir Manasseh Meyer International School and a physiotherapist at Tampines Polyclinic.

The remaining case is a permanent resident who was already under quarantine. He is the only linked case among the seven community cases.

Singapore also reported its 25th death due to Covid-19 on Saturday. A 41-year-old male Chinese national who had recovered from the coronavirus died from complications two weeks after he was discharged.

The coroner said he suffered a massive pulmonary thromboembolism. He is now the youngest patient in Singapore to have died from the disease.

The daily average of new community cases has increased in the past two weeks, from five two weeks ago to seven in the past week. The number of unlinked cases in the community during the same period has remained stable at an average of two per day.

As of Saturday, 24,550 patients have recovered from the disease. Of the total cases, 12,943, or 34 per cent, are still considered active cases and are in hospitals and community isolation facilities.

Including the latest death, 25 have died from Covid-19, while nine have died of other causes while testing positive.

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