SINGAPORE - The average number of new daily Covid-19 patients in the community has continued to come down from nine cases two weeks ago to four in the past week, the fifth straight day that the figure has fallen.

The average number of unlinked community cases per day too has fallen from four to two over the same period.

There were, however, two new clusters of Covid-19 infections reported on Friday (June 19), said the Ministry of Health (MOH).

Both are dormitory clusters. One at 10 Kaki Bukit Road 1 is linked to six cases. The second is at 6 Kian Teck Crescent and is linked to three cases.

There was only one new coronavirus community case confirmed on Friday, a 21-year-old prison inmate at Changi Prison Complex from Sri Lanka.

He is currently unlinked to any known cases.

MOH said he was on a social visit pass and had been segregated from the general inmate population since his admission to Changi Prison on June 6.

Although asymptomatic, he was tested as part of the Singapore Prison Service's (SPS) proactive screening of newly admitted inmates.

Confirming this, SPS told The Straits Times that he was placed in cohort segregation immediately when he was admitted, according to the safety protocol at Changi Prison during the coronavirus period.

All the prison inmates admitted on the same day as he was have tested negative for the coronavirus.

SPS said the coronavirus patient tested positive on Thursday while he was still separated from the general inmate population. He has been transferred to a separate prison facility outside Changi Prison Complex and remains in isolation.

The latest case is unlinked to the previous four cases reported at Changi Prison, SPS said. The four previous cases were themselves also unlinked.

"SPS is committed to our mission of ensuring the safe and secure custody of inmates," it added.

Migrant workers living in dormitories make up the remaining 141 cases reported on Friday.

The 142 new Covid-19 patients confirmed on Friday by MOH is the lowest number of new cases since April 8, when 142 cases were also reported.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) put up an indicative forecast on its website showing employers and dormitory operators when they can expect dormitories to be cleared of the virus in the coming weeks.

The schedule stretches beyond August.

MOM said whether dorms will be cleared according to schedule depends on factors such as the outcome of tests and if residents are stringent in practising safe distancing.

"For example, a purpose-built dormitory with a low infection rate has seen its expected clearance date pushed back by at least a month, because residents did not maintain strict safe distancing measures, and several instances of residents visiting other rooms were detected."

As of Monday, about 75,000 migrant workers in these dorms have been cleared of infections and are staying in cleared premises.

With 747 new cases discharged on Friday, 33,449 patients have fully recovered from the disease.

A total of 212 remain in hospital, including two in the intensive care unit, while 7,918 are recuperating in community facilities.

Singapore has had 26 deaths from Covid-19 complications, while 10 who tested positive have died of other causes.