8 new COVID-19 cases in Singapore, including 7 imported infections
Passengers queue at a check-in counter at Singapore Changi Airport on Jun 8, 2020. (File photo: AFP/Roslan Rahman)
SINGAPORE: Singapore reported eight new COVID-19 cases as of noon on Thursday (Oct 22), with all but one case imported.
The seven imported cases were placed on stay-home notices upon their arrival in Singapore, said the Ministry of Health (MOH). All are asymptomatic.
One of the cases involved a 70-year-old man who had travelled from Indonesia on a short-term visit pass.
The man, known as Case 58107, was allowed entry as he was already receiving medical care in Singapore and had returned for further treatment, MOH said.
Another case involved a one-year-old infant who travelled from India on a short-term visit pass.
She is a family member of Case 58086, a 41-year-old permanent resident who was confirmed as a COVID-19 case on Oct 19.
A 56-year-old Singapore citizen who travelled from Indonesia and a 41-year-old permanent resident who travelled from India were also among the cases.
Another case involved a 36-year-old short-term visit pass holder who had travelled from India. The woman is a family member of a permanent resident, MOH said.
The remaining two imported cases were a work pass holder who had travelled from the United Arab Emirates and a work permit holder who had travelled from Myanmar.
The remaining case is a resident at a foreign workers' dormitory. His infection was detected through rostered routine testing.
No new community case was reported – the fourth consecutive day with no new infections in the community.
Thursday's cases bring the total number of COVID-19 infections in Singapore to 57,941.
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Epidemiological investigations are in progress, said MOH. In the meantime, all the identified close contacts of the cases have been isolated and placed on quarantine, and will be tested at the start and end of their quarantine period to detect asymptomatic cases.
Eight more cases of COVID-19 infection have been discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities, the ministry added.
In all, 57,829 have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged from hospitals or community care facilities.
There are currently 45 confirmed cases who are still in hospital. Of these, most are stable or improving, and none are in the intensive care unit.
A total of 39 cases are isolated and cared for at community facilities. These are those who have mild symptoms, or are clinically well but still test positive for COVID-19, said MOH.
The number of people who have died from complications due to COVID-19 infection remains at 28.
Overall, the number of new cases in the community has decreased from four cases in the week before, to two in the past week, said MOH.
The number of unlinked cases in the community has increased from none in the week before, to two cases in the past week.
It will soon be compulsory to use the TraceTogether app or token to perform SafeEntry check-in at certain venues conducting activities with large groups of people.
This transition from other SafeEntry methods, such as scanning identity cards, is vital as Singapore prepares to resume larger-scale events and further reopen its economy safely, said the Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO) on Tuesday.
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By December, TraceTogether-only SafeEntry will be implemented at all popular venues currently requiring check-in, including workplaces, schools, malls, food and beverage outlets and hotels.
A full list of venues is available on the SafeEntry website and will be updated "on an ongoing basis", said SNDGO.
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