42 new coronavirus cases in Singapore - lowest in over 4 months

800 workers newly quarantined after a case emerges in a dormitory cleared of the virus

Of the new cases, one was from the community, and eleven were imported. PHOTO: ST FILE

There were 42 new coronavirus cases announced by the Health Ministry yesterday, taking Singapore's total to 55,395.

This was the lowest daily total in more than four months since March 30, when 35 new infections were reported.

But 800 migrant workers had been newly quarantined because the ministry discovered a case among them in a dormitory cleared of the virus. They are among about 22,800 workers who are still serving out their quarantine period.

The ministry said these workers will be tested when their quarantine ends, and it expects the new infection case counts to remain high in the coming days before tapering off.

Like the new cases, the number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals also hit double digits yesterday, as 92 of them remained in hospital. There were, however, none in intensive care.

A sole patient in the community was announced yesterday. He is a 58-year-old Singaporean who had been identified as a contact of a previously confirmed case, and had been placed on quarantine earlier. He was tested during quarantine, said the ministry.

There were also 11 imported patients, comprising two Singaporeans, three work pass holders, one work permit holder, four dependant's pass holders and one special pass holder.

Of the two Singaporeans - one returned from India on July 3 and the other from Indonesia on July 30.

The patient who returned from India is an eight-year-old boy who had served his stay-home notice (SHN) with his parent and siblings in the same room at a dedicated facility and was subsequently placed on quarantine again when his SHN contacts tested positive for Covid-19. He had been tested again during quarantine to verify his status.

The four dependant's pass holders arrived from India on July 28 and 31. Another four cases are work pass and work permit holders employed in Singapore and they separately arrived from the Philippines on July 29 and from India on July 31.

All of them had been placed on 14-day SHN on arrival here and had been tested while serving their notices or quarantine.

The remaining imported patient is a Filipino seaman holding a special pass who arrived from India on Aug 8 on a vessel.

He reported symptoms and was swabbed while on the vessel, where he remained until his test result came back positive for Covid-19. He was taken to hospital in an ambulance.

  • Update on cases

  • New cases: 42

    Imported: 11 (Two Singaporeans, three work pass holders, one work permit holder, four dependant's pass holders, one special pass holder)

    In community: One (A Singaporean)

    In dormitories: 30

    Active cases: 4,848

    In hospitals: 92 (0 in ICU)

    In community facilities: 4,756

    Deaths: 27

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

    Total discharged: 50,505

    Discharged yesterday: 392

    TOTAL CASES: 55,395

Meanwhile, Is Salon in Bukit Batok, Warren Golf & Country Club, HomeTeamNS Khatib, Chong Pang Wet Market & Food Centre and Northpoint City were added to the list of places visited by infectious Covid-19 patients.

The ministry provides the list of locations and the times that infectious Covid-19 patients have visited for at least 30 minutes to get those who were at these places at specific periods to monitor their health closely for two weeks from the date of their visit.

The full list of locations and times can be found on the ministry's website.

The ministry has said that close contacts would already have been notified and that there is no need to avoid these places as they would have been cleaned if necessary.

Migrant workers living in dormitories made up the remaining 30 new coronavirus patients announced yesterday.

The number of new daily cases in the community has remained stable at an average of two cases a day in the past two weeks.

The number of unlinked cases in the community has also stayed stable at an average of one case a day over the same period.

With 392 cases discharged yesterday, 50,505 patients have fully recovered from the disease.

A total of 4,756 were recuperating in community facilities.

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

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 13, 2020, with the headline 42 new coronavirus cases in Singapore - lowest in over 4 months. Subscribe