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COVID-19: Singapore reports 383 new cases; including MOE school students

SINGAPORE, June 3, 2020 -- People take the train on the downtown line in Singapore on June 3, 2020. Singapore enters the second day of post lockdown as the state embarked on a phased reopening from a COVID-19 "circuit breaker" period to curb the spread of the coronavirus. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua via Getty) (Xinhua/ via Getty Images)
SINGAPORE, June 3, 2020 -- People take the train on the downtown line in Singapore on June 3, 2020. Singapore enters the second day of post lockdown as the state embarked on a phased reopening from a COVID-19 "circuit breaker" period to curb the spread of the coronavirus. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua via Getty) (Xinhua/ via Getty Images)

SINGAPORE – The Ministry of Health (MOH) reported 383 new cases COVID-19 infection in Singapore as of noon on Sunday (7 June), bringing the total number of cases to 37,910.

In a press release, the ministry said that 369 of the cases are work permit holders residing in foreign worker dormitories. It also announced that a dormitory at 6 Tuas South Street 2 is now a new cluster.

There are 14 community cases, of whom 10 are Singaporeans or permanent residents and four are holders of work or student passes. The youngest community case is a 13-year-old Singaporean girl while the oldest is an 87-year-old Singaporean woman.

Details of cases on 7 June (Table: Ministry of Health)
Details of cases on 7 June (Table: Ministry of Health)

Among the group of nine Singaporeans and one permanent resident cases, five were picked up as a result of the ministry’s proactive testing of school staff and students above the age of 12 diagnosed with acute respiratory infection (ARI) at first presentation to a doctor. These are students and staff from Anglican High School, CHIJ Katong Convent, CHIJ St. Theresa’s Convent, Geylang Methodist Secondary School, Hwa Chong Institution. Three other cases (Cases 37940, 37941 and 37945) were tested as they had prolonged ARI symptoms. Another case (Case 37754) was swabbed as part of the MOH’s efforts to screen workers in essential services. Epidemiological investigations are ongoing for the remaining case.

All four cases in the student/work pass holder group had been picked up as a result of proactive screening, the ministry said. “Case 37937 is a student at Ascensia International School and was tested as part of our screening of students with ARI. Cases 37746 and 37747 were contacts of previously confirmed cases, and had already been quarantined in government quarantine facilities earlier. The remaining case (Case 37755) was tested as part of our proactive screening of workers in essential services.”

Infected during Circuit Breaker: MOE

Separately, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said on Sunday that of the five cases from its schools, four are students and one is a non-teaching staff. “They are from five different schools – Anglican High School, CHIJ Katong Convent, CHIJ St. Theresa’s Convent, Geylang Methodist Secondary School and Hwa Chong Institution – and are not a cluster,” MOE said.

“The student from Hwa Chong Institution was last in school on 7 April, before the start of the Circuit Breaker. Of the other four cases, three were last in school on 3 June, while one was last in school on 2 June.”

All five cases displayed mild symptoms, with the onset of symptoms being 3 June for three cases, and 2 June and 31 May for the remaining two cases, the MOE said.

While positive, the tests for all five cases revealed low viral loads. A repeat test using new samples showed that all five cases were negative. The evidence suggests that they were likely infected during the Circuit Breaker period, and not after schools began operations in Phase 1 of Singapore’s reopening.

Cases visited three more places

The MOH also added three more places to its list of places visited by confirmed cases within their infections period: Basement 1 of Tampines Mall (4 Tampines Central 5), Geylang Serai Market and Food Centre (1 Geylang Serai) and Mustafa Centre (145 Syed Alwi Road).

List of places visited by infected persons during infectious period, issued 7 June. (Table: Ministry of Health)
List of places visited by infected persons during infectious period, issued 7 June. (Table: Ministry of Health)

As a precautionary measure, the ministry said that persons who had been at these locations during the specified timings should monitor their health closely for 14 days from their date of visit. They should see a doctor promptly if they develop symptoms of acute respiratory infection (such as cough, sore throat and runny nose), as well as fever and loss of taste or smell, and inform the doctor of their exposure history.

There is no need to avoid places where confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been, the MOH said. “The National Environment Agency will engage the management of affected premises to provide guidance on cleaning and disinfection.”

Over 24,800 cases discharged

With 327 more patients discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities on Sunday, a total of 24,886 have fully recovered from the infection.

Most of the 295 hospitalised cases are stable or improving, while three are in critical condition in the intensive care unit. A total of 12,704 patients with mild symptoms or are clinically well but still test positive are isolated and cared for at community facilities.

Singapore’s latest fatality – and its youngest by far – is a 41-year-old Chinese male national who died on Thursday. The man, identified as case 11714, was confirmed to be infected on 22 April, but had recovered and was discharged on 17 May, said the MOH on Saturday.

“He collapsed on 4 June and the coroner has certified that the cause of death was massive pulmonary thromboembolism following SARS-CoV-2 infection,” it added.

Apart from 25 patients who have died from COVID-19 complications, nine others who tested positive for the virus have died from unrelated causes, including three whose deaths were attributed to a heart attack and two 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.

As of 1 June, the ministry has conducted 408,495 swab tests, of which 264,393 were done on unique individuals. This translates to around 71,700 swabs conducted per 1 million total population, and about 46,400 unique individuals swabbed per 1 million total population.

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