Singapore reports 675 new coronavirus cases, total infections jump to 25,346

By Gurdip Singh

Singapore, May 13 () Singapore on Wednesday reported 675 new COVID-19 cases, mostly foreign workers living in dormitories, taking the total number of infections in the country to 25,346, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

The Health Ministry said 671 foreign workers who tested positive were from the dormitories where intensified medical testing is being conducted.

Of the four cases in the community, two are Singaporeans and the other two are work pass holders (foreigners).

The latest count takes the national tally to 25,346 cases since the first infection was detected here early in January 2020.

The Ministry said it continues to pick up many more cases among work permit holders residing in dormitories, including in factory-converted dormitories, because of extensive testing in these premises, as part of its process to verify and test the status of all workers.

Nineteen of the 1,037 confirmed cases in hospital are in critical condition and in the intensive care unit. Most of the others are stable or improving, the Health Ministry said.

A total of 958 more patients were discharged on Wednesday. In all, 4,809 have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged from hospitals or community care facilities.

A total of 19,479 patients are isolated as a precaution and treatment while 21 have died due to coronavirus.

All 323,000 foreign workers staying in dormitories will be tested for COVID-19 to ensure they are free from the virus before they resume work in the community and return to their dorms, said National Development Minister Lawrence Wong.

This will be done through the use of mass polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests and mass serological tests, said Wong, as he outlined the government's "systematic" approach to ensure that dormitories are clear of the coronavirus.

First, serology tests, which can detect if an individual has had COVID-19 in the past, will be applied to dorms with high infection rates, the minister was quoted as saying in The Straits Times.

At a COVID-19 multi-ministry task force press conference on Tuesday, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said that while the number of community cases has fallen, Singapore must "remain vigilant" as circuit breaker restrictions are gradually lifted.

Gan added that the authorities have also drawn up plans to allow migrant workers living in dormitories to return to work safely when some economic activities restart.

The Health Ministry said that workers with a positive serological test would have been infected in the past - at least 10 to 14 days ago - and would no longer be infectious after a period of isolation.

"After a period of isolation, we can assume they've recovered from the virus," the report quoted Wong as saying. Wong co-chairs the multi-ministry task force tackling the pandemic. GS MRJ

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