COVID-19: Singapore confirms 396 new cases, three in the community
SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Health (MOH) reported 396 new COVID-19 cases in Singapore as of Friday (31 July) noon, taking the country’s total to 52,205.
Of the new cases, three are classified as cases in the community, while three are imported cases. The remaining are foreign workers living in dorms.
Among the three imported cases, Cases 52004 – a 6-year-old Singaporean girl – and 52049 – a 13-year-old boy who is a permanent resident – returned to Singapore from India on 3 July and 19 July respectively. The remaining case (Case 51921) is a dependant’s pass holder who arrived from India on 19 July. All of them had been placed on 14-day Stay-Home Notice (SHN) upon arrival in Singapore, and were serving their SHN at dedicated facilities, the ministry said. They had been tested while serving their SHN. Case 52004 had additionally been placed on quarantine following her SHN as she had been identified as a contact of previously confirmed cases, and was tested positive for COVID-19 during quarantine.
Of the three cases in the community, one was picked up as a result proactive surveillance and screening, and one had already been placed on quarantine earlier, the MOH said. Two of the cases are asymptomatic, and were detected through proactive testing.
Case 52072 had been identified as a contact of a previously confirmed case, and had been placed on quarantine earlier. He was tested during quarantine to determine his status, even though he is asymptomatic.
The other two community cases are currently unlinked. Case 52090 was detected from the ministry’s proactive screening of workers in essential services who are living outside the dormitories, even though he is asymptomatic. His serological test result has come back positive, which indicates likely past infection, the MOH said. “The remaining case (Case 51908) was tested under our enhanced community testing to test all individuals aged 13 and above who are diagnosed with acute respiratory infection.”
Overall, the number of new cases in the community has decreased, the MOH said, “from an average of eight cases per day in the week before, to an average of three per day in the past week”. “The number of unlinked cases in the community has also decreased, from an average of four cases per day in the week before, to an average of one per day in the past week.”
The Ministry of Manpower said that 95 more dormitories have been cleared of COVID-19 as of Wednesday (29 July). These comprise one purpose-built dormitory (PBD), 78 factory-converted dormitories and 16 construction temporary quarters. In addition, 12 blocks for recovered workers (BRWs) in six PBDs have been cleared.
This takes the total number to 975 dormitories and 64 BRWs in 17 PBDs cleared of COVID-19. As of 28 July 2020, about 262,000 workers (approximately 85 per cent) have either recovered or have been tested to be free from the virus.
Authorities here expect to clear all dorms and workers residing in them by 7 August, with the exception of 17 standalone blocks in eight purpose-built dorms, which serve as quarantine facilities as well as 28,000 workers still serving out their isolation period.
Over 46,400 recovered, zero in ICU
With 183 more patients discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities on Friday, 46,491 cases have fully recovered from the infection.
Most of the 136 hospitalised cases are stable or improving, while none are in critical condition in the intensive care unit.
A total of 5,551 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.
As of 27 July, the ministry has conducted 1,321,094 swab tests, of which 616,310 were done on unique individuals. This translates to around 231,800 swabs conducted per 1 million total population, and about 108,100 unique individuals swabbed per 1 million total population.
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