SINGAPORE: A total of 74 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Singapore on Wednesday (Apr 1), the highest daily increase to date, bringing the national total to 1,000 infections.
Of the confirmed cases, 54 are local cases who have no recent travel history.
Two new clusters have been identified – Lee Ah Mooi Old Age Home at 1 Thomson Lane, as well as a workers’ dormitory located at 55 Sungei Kadut Loop.
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In its daily update on Wednesday, the Ministry of Health (MOH) also announced that three of the new cases involve people from the public healthcare sector – a clinical research coordinator at Singapore General Hospital (SGH), a nurse at SGH and a doctor at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital.
Twenty of the new cases are imported, with a travel history to Australia, Europe, South America, Africa, ASEAN and other parts of Asia.
A total of 29 cases are linked to previous cases or clusters, while 25 cases are currently unlinked with contact tracing ongoing.
A total of 245 cases have fully recovered and have been discharged from hospitals or community isolation services. Of the 461 confirmed cases who are still in hospital, most are stable or improving.
A total of 24 are in critical condition in the intensive care unit while 291 cases who are clinically well but still test positive for COVID-19 are isolated and cared for at Concord International Hospital, Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Gleneagles Hospital and the Community Isolation Facility at D’Resort NTUC.
As previously reported, three have died due to complications from COVID-19.
CASES FROM PUBLIC HEALTHCARE SECTOR
Among the three new cases from the public healthcare sector, case 952 – the clinical research coordinator at SGH – had no recent travel history to affected countries or regions.
The 29-year-old Singaporean woman reported onset of symptoms on Mar 30 and subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Mar 31 afternoon. Prior to hospital admission, she had gone to work on Mar 30 but had not interacted with patients.
She is currently warded in an isolation room at SGH.
Case 952 is a nurse at SGH. The 37-year-old Singaporean woman had been in the UAE from Mar 14 to Mar 20. She reported onset of symptoms on Mar 30 and subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Mar 31 afternoon. Prior to hospital admission, she had gone to work on Mar 30.
She is currently warded in an isolation room at SGH.
Case 978 is a doctor at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital but had not gone to work since onset of symptoms.
The 26-year-old Singaporean woman had no recent travel history to affected countries or regions. She reported onset of symptoms on Mar 31 and subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Apr 1 morning. She is currently warded in an isolation room at National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).
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MORE CLUSTERS IN SINGAPORE
The Lee Ah Mooi Old Age Home – a new cluster – has 11 cases linked to it as of Wednesday, following the announcement of one case (case 918) on Tuesday.
The Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) confirmed on Wednesday night that of the 10 new cases linked to the home, eight are residents there (cases 983, 984, 985, 986, 987, 988 and 989), one is an employee who had cared for the home’s female residents (case 976), while another is a family member of the employee (case 973).
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All staff caring for the home’s female residents have been on quarantine order since Tuesday, said AIC, while the remaining staff were placed on quarantine order on Wednesday.
“MOH and AIC are working to provide Lee Ah Mooi Old Age Home (Thomson) with moral support during this period to ensure service continuity, so that its residents will not be affected,” said AIC.
Case 973 works in a non-patient facing role at the Moral Home for the Aged Sick, said AIC. He has not been to work since suffering symptoms. AIC said it has contacted Moral Home and stepped up monitoring of the health status of residents and staff. So far, all of its residents are well, said AIC.
The other cluster announced on Wednesday involves a workers’ dormitory located at 55 Sungei Kadut Loop. Two of the cases (972 and 974) announced on Wednesday are linked to a previous case (case 868).
Several clusters were identified in the past week, including a cluster at SingPost Centre, Westlite Toh Guan dormitory, S11 Dormitory @ Punggol, serviced apartments Wilby Residences as well as a pub called Hero’s in the Boat Quay area.
National Development Minister Lawrence Wong on Tuesday said that there is no “magic solution” to the COVID-19 outbreak in Singapore, and a series of brakes are needed to handle the situation.
Primary school students on Wednesday marked their first day of home-based learning, with most of them completing their assignments and learning from home, working on hardcopy worksheets or online assignments on the Student Learning Space.
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The Ministry of Education (MOE) announced on Mar 27 that all schools will conduct one day of home-based learning a week from April. The move was part of enhanced measures to stem the spread of COVID-19, after an increase in the number of imported and local cases here.
Wednesday was also enlistment day on Pulau Tekong for scores of enlistees. This year, guests were not allowed at the Singapore Armed Forces Basic Military Training Centre as part of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Traditionally, enlistees’ parents are shown around the island, including visiting their children’s bunks at BMTC before sharing a meal with them in the cookhouse.
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