Two locals among 242 new COVID-19 cases in S'pore; additional dorm cluster

SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Health (MOH) on Friday (7 August) confirmed 242 new COVID-19 cases, bringing Singapore’s total to 54,797, and an additional cluster linked to a foreign worker dormitory.

The newly announced cluster of four cases is linked to a dorm at 66 Tech Park Crescent.

Of the new cases, one Singaporean has been classified as the lone unlinked community case. The others are six imported cases including a Singaporean, and 235 foreign workers residing in dorms.

Overall, only one per cent of new cases have no established links.

The sole community case, 54870, was detected under the enhanced community testing to test all individuals aged 13 and above who are diagnosed with acute respiratory infection (ARI) at first presentation to a doctor, said the MOH.

“Epidemiological investigations of the case are in progress. In the meantime, all the identified close contacts have been isolated and placed on quarantine, and will be tested at the start and end of their quarantine period so that we can detect asymptomatic cases,” it added.

All six imported cases arrived from India between 25 July and 27 July. Amongst them, two – cases 54872 and 54877 – are a permanent resident and Singaporean, respectively, returning here. Another two – cases 54873 and 54874 – are work pass holders who are currently employed here.

The remaining cases are a dependant’s pass holder (case 54761) and a long-term visit pass holder (case 54771).

All six had been placed on 14-day stay-home notice upon arrival in Singapore, and were tested while serving their notice at dedicated facilities, said the MOH.

The ministry added that the number of new cases in the community has decreased, from an average of three per day in the week before, to an average of two per day in the past week.

The number of unlinked cases in the community has remained stable at an average of one per day in the past 14 days.

As of 3 August, about 273,000 migrant workers, constituting about 89 per cent of those living in worker dormitories, have either recovered or have been tested to be free from COVID-19, said the Ministry of Manpower earlier this week.

A total of 1,109 dorms, as well as 52 blocks for recovered workers (BRWs) in 14 purpose-built dorms (PBDs), have also been declared cleared of COVID-19.

In the past week, 127 dorms – comprising 114 factory-converted dorms and 13 construction temporary quarters – as well as 35 BRWs in 12 PBDs have been cleared.

Of Singapore’s COVID-19 tally, 51,862 – or 94.6 per cent – are foreign workers living in dorms.

Golden Village Jurong Point was among three new locations added by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to the list of public places visited by COVID-19 cases in the community recently. The other two were ABC Brickworks Market and Food Centre at Jalan Bukit Merah and Sheng Siong Supermarket at Woodlands Industrial Park.

Over 48,300 discharged; none in ICU

With 281 more patients discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities on Friday, 48,312 cases – some 88 per cent of the tally – have fully recovered from the infection.

Most of the 124 hospitalised cases are stable or improving, while none is in critical condition in the intensive care unit.

A total of 6,334 patients with mild symptoms or are clinically well but still test positive are isolated and cared for at community facilities.

Apart from 27 patients who have died from COVID-19 complications, 15 others who tested positive for the virus were determined to have died from unrelated causes, including three whose deaths were attributed to a heart attack and another four, whose deaths were attributed to coronary heart disease.

“Only cases where the attending doctor or pathologist attributes the primary or underlying cause of death as due to COVID-19 infection will be added to the COVID-19 death count,” said the MOH in previous press releases, adding that the method of assessment is consistent with international practices for classifying deaths.

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