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COVID-19: 8 new cases including 1 local transmission detected in Singapore

Office workers seen in Singapore's central business district on 23 November. (PHOTO: Getty Images)
Office workers seen in Singapore's central business district on 23 November. (PHOTO: Getty Images)

SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed another eight COVID-19 cases in Singapore as of noon on Sunday (29 November), taking the country’s total to 58,213.

One of the cases in a local transmission and has been identified as a migrant worker residing in the community. He was detected through community surveillance testing among stallholders in and around Tekka Centre on 26 November, said the ministry in a news release.

The remaining seven new cases are imported, all of whom have been placed on Stay-Home Notices (SHN) since their arrival in Singapore.

Amongst the new cases today, five are asymptomatic and three were symptomatic.

The sole case in the community is a work permit holder from India who works as a warehouse assistant. He is asymptomatic, and was detected from community surveillance testing of stallholders in and around Tekka Centre last Thursday.

He was conveyed to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases when his test came back positive for COVID-19 infection on Friday. His serological test result is also positive, which indicates likely past infection.

His work entails stocktaking at warehouses located at Cuff Road, and delivery of goods to Jothi Store and Flower Shop at Campbell Lane. He does not interact with customers at the store. He usually works with a warehouse assistant at the warehouses, who was also swabbed last Thursday and has tested negative for COVID-19 infection.

He resides at Cuff Road with two other migrant workers, who have both similarly tested negative for COVID-19 infection.

In all, 876 individuals were tested during the community surveillance testing of stallholders in and around Tekka Centre last Thursday. Of these, two were tested positive for COVID-19 infection. Both cases are likely to be past infections, as indicated by their positive serological test results. The remaining 874 individuals have tested negative for the virus.

Overall, the number of new cases in the community has remained low, with a total of three cases in the past week who are currently unlinked.

The NTUC FairPrice outlet at Yishun MRT was added to the list of public places visited by COVID-19 cases. The outlet was visited by a COVID-19 case on 21 November from 8.50pm to 9.55pm.

Amongst the seven imported cases, one is a long-term visit pass holder who arrived from Russia and another is a student’s pass holder who arrived from India. Another three are work permit holders currently employed in Singapore who arrived from Indonesia.

The remaining two cases are short-term visit pass holders. One is an engineer who arrived from Malta on a work project in Singapore, and another arrived from Belarus to participate in a mixed martial arts sporting event as a cornerman. They had all already been placed on SHN or isolated upon arrival in Singapore and were tested while serving SHN.

99% of total cases have recovered; none in ICU

With five more patients discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities on Sunday, 58,124 cases – or 99.8 per cent of the total – have fully recovered from the infection.

Most of the 31 hospitalised cases are stable or improving, and none are in the intensive care unit.

A total of 29 patients – with mild symptoms or are clinically well but still test positive – are isolated and cared for at community facilities.

Apart from 29 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.

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