Singapore reports its first coronavirus-related deaths

REUTERS/Edgar Su

Commuters leave the Woodlands Causeway across to Singapore from Johor, hours before Malaysia imposes a lockdown on travel due to the coronavirus outbreak.

• Singapore reported its first coronavirus-related deaths on Saturday of two people with underlying health conditions.
• Singapore has confirmed 385 cases of the infection and so far had managed to avoid any fatalities.
• "I know Singaporeans will be worried and anxious. But we must take courage and not give in to our fears," Gan Kim Yong, Singapore's health minister, told reporters.
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Singapore reported two coronavirus-related deaths on Saturday of people with underlying health conditions, marking the first fatalities in the city-state's widely praised battle against the infection.

The health ministry said a 75-year-old Singaporean woman and a 64-year-old Indonesian man died on Saturday morning.

Singapore has confirmed 385 cases of the infection and had so far managed to avoid any fatalities since the outbreak began in the city-state in late January.

"I know Singaporeans will be worried and anxious. But we must take courage and not give in to our fears," Gan Kim Yong, Singapore's health minister, told reporters.

As of Friday, 131 cases of Singapore's total had fully recovered from the infection.

The Singaporean woman who died had a history of chronic heart disease and hypertension. She had been in intensive care for 26 days.

Prior to the Indonesian man's arrival in Singapore on March 13, he had been hospitalized in Indonesia for pneumonia and had a history of heart disease. He died after nine days in intensive care in Singapore.

Singapore has been stepping up its social distancing measures, including suspending all gatherings of 250 people or more and advising companies to ask staff to work from home.

Anyone entering the country, including citizens and residents, are required to self-quarantine for 14 days. It has also advised its citizens against any travel outside the city-state.

Story originally published on Reuters

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