Singapore reports 465 new COVID-19 cases

By Gurdip SinghGurdip Singh

Singapore, 16 May () Singapore on Saturday reported 465 new COVID-19 cases, taking the country's total count to 27,356, with a senior minister warning that the city-state may see an increase in the number of infections when it allows more activities to resume from June 1.

The majority of new cases are foreigners on work permits and residing in dormitories, said the Health Ministry, as it continues to test foreign workers.

Four cases are Singapore citizens or permanent residents (foreigners), reported by the Ministry.

At a press conference held by the multi-ministry task force dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak on Friday, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong warned that community cases will "likely" increase with the easing of some more restrictions from June 1, when the circuit breaker ends.

He cautioned that the circuit breaker measures need to be lifted "carefully and slowly".

"Because if we are not careful, the number of cases will spike up and you may have big clusters forming again," Channel News Asia quoted Gan as saying. GS NSA