Singapore sees largest single-day spike of 75 new coronavirus cases, with 4 new clusters

There were 75 new cases of Covid-19 infections in Singapore as of noon yesterday - the largest single-day spike announced by the Ministry of Health (MOH).

Of the new cases, 69 are local cases with no recent travel history abroad. This brings the total number of cases to 1,189.

Four new coronavirus clusters have also been identified.

Three of them are dormitories - Sungei Tengah Lodge, Toh Guan Dormitory and Cochrane Lodge 2. The other cluster is at The Orange Ballroom, a wedding venue at Tanjong Katong Complex in Geylang.

Only six of the new cases were imported ones with a recent travel history to Europe, North and South America and Asean.

Forty of the 69 new local cases are linked to previous cases or clusters, while 29 cases are unlinked, and contact-tracing efforts are ongoing, said MOH.

More patients have also been linked to five existing clusters.

Seventeen new cases were added to the cluster at S11 Dormitory @ Punggol, which has 41 confirmed cases now.

One more case was linked to the cluster at Westlite Toh Guan dormitory, which now has 18 confirmed cases.

Three more cases were linked to the cluster at a construction site at Project Glory, which has nine confirmed cases now.

Four more cases were linked to the cluster at Mustafa Centre, which has 19 cases now.

Two more cases were linked to the cluster at Keppel Shipyard, which has six cases now.

The number of new imported cases continued to be lower than the number of locally transmitted ones, prompting the new stricter measures announced on Friday. In a wave of new sweeping measures, the Government implemented a "circuit breaker" to pre-empt escalating coronavirus infections with most workplaces closed from Tuesday and all schools moving to full home-based learning from Wednesday, among other restrictions.

MOH said contact tracing is under way for 145 locally transmitted cases to establish any links to previous cases or travel history to affected countries or regions.

Yesterday, MOH also announced Singapore's sixth death from the virus. The 88-year-old male Singapore permanent resident had no recent travel history to affected countries and regions.

A total of 297 cases have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities. Of the 500 confirmed cases who are still in hospital, most are stable or improving. MOH said 26 are in critical condition.

Meanwhile, 386 cases who are clinically well but still test positive are being isolated and cared for at Concord International Hospital, Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Gleneagles Hospital and the Community Isolation Facility at D'Resort NTUC.