Singapore reports 596 new coronavirus cases, mostly from dormitories used by foreigners

By Gurdip Singh

Singapore, Apr 19 () Singapore on Sunday reported 596 new coronavirus cases, a majority of them linked to packed dormitories that house foreign workers including several Indian nationals.

Around 300,000 low-wage workers, mostly from South Asia, work in Singapore in construction and maintenance.

Most of them live together in huge dormitory complexes on the outskirts of the city they've helped build.

Singapore's Health Ministry said 571 new coronavirus cases of 596 recorded on Sunday are foreign workers lodged in dormitories.

The vast majority are work permit holders residing in foreign worker dormitories, the Ministry of Health said in a press release announcing the preliminary numbers.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has warned that more coronavirus cases could come up at packed dormitories.

While efforts have been made to break the chain of transmission in foreign worker dormitories, it will take some time to show results, Lee said on Saturday.

Sunday's confirmed cases takes Singapore's coronavirus infections to 6,588 with 11 death. Only 25 new cases on Sunday are Singapore citizens or permanent residents in the city state.

While the recent rise in number of foreign workers infected with the coronavirus has mostly been concentrated in dormitories, there have been cases at construction worksites, said the Ministry of Manpower and the Building and Construction Authority (BCA).

Contact tracing suggests that transmissions at common construction worksites may have contributed to the increase in numbers.

"Thus far, the cases detected among workers living outside the dormitories have been low. All those infected and their close contacts have been isolated," said the Ministry and BCA.

Employers whose workers are affected by the latest stay-home notice are required to make arrangements for them such as providing food and ensuring that their addresses and mobile phone numbers registered with the Ministry are up to date.

Sunday is day 13 of Singapore's month-long "circuit breaker" - a period with enhanced safe distancing measures in a bid to stem the spread of COVID-19.

Most workplaces are closed and schools have transitioned to full home-based learning. GS NSA