COVID-19: “The 2019 Plague” Day 150: SINGAPORE- Most of 897 new coronavirus cases in S’pore are foreign workers from dormitories; 9 new clusters including Strand Hotel

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SINGAPORE – There were nine new Covid-19 clusters announced on Friday (April 24) as the total number of cases in Singapore crossed 12,000 – even as small positive signs started to emerge.

The number of Singaporeans and permanent residents announced to have been infected on Friday was the lowest since March 29, when 13 patients were reported to be infected as well. Together with the 12 work pass holders who tested positive, there are 25 new cases in the community.

The ministry noted that the number of unlinked cases in the community has decreased to a daily average of 17 cases in the past week, down from a daily average of 20 cases in the week before.

However, nine new virus clusters were announced, including the Natureland East Coast spa at 907 East Coast Road, and The Strand Hotel at 25 Bencoolen Street, as well as several more dormitories. The spa is linked to six earlier confirmed patients, while the hotel is linked to five new cases.

The remaining seven clusters are linked to Alaunia Lodge in Admiralty; SSKBJV Dormitory in Tanah Merah; Westlite Juniper dormitory in Mandai Estate; 112 Neythal Road; 10 Shaw Road dormitory; 2 Sungei Kadut Avenue; and 11 Tuas Avenue 10.

The Agency for Integrated Care also said that one of the cases confirmed on Friday is a 21-year-old healthcare assistant from All Saints Home in Hougang. The assistant was last at work on Tuesday.

AIC added that the nursing home has been thoroughly cleaned and affected areas were disinfected as part of additional precautionary measures.

“Contact tracing is ongoing and those who had close contact with the confirmed case will be quarantined,” the agency said.

There was also a new case in the public healthcare sector, a 43 year-old nurse who works at Bukit Merah Polyclinic. She reported having Covid-19 symptoms on Monday and has not been to work since then, said the Ministry of Health (MOH).

Foreign workers living in dormitories continue to make up the bulk of new coronavirus cases with 853 such workers among the 897 new cases on Friday, MOH said in its daily update.

There are now 9,929 foreign workers from dorms diagnosed with Covid-19, or about 3 per cent of the 323,000 dorm residents here.

Singapore’s largest active cluster remains S11 Dormitory in Punggol, which has confirmed 2,263 cases.

The total number of cases in Singapore as of noon on Friday is 12,075.

Foreign workers not living in dorms make up 19 of the new cases.

The number of new cases among this group has continued to increase to a daily average of 28 cases in the past week, up from a daily average of 19 cases from the week before.

There were no imported cases reported on Friday. The last imported case was identified on April 17.

On Friday, MOH also provided more information on the 46-year-old construction worker from India who was found motionless at a staircase landing at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital on Thursday morning.

The ministry said that the worker had died because of multiple injuries consistent with those resulting from a fall from height. and not because of complications from Covid-19.

Another 38 people were discharged on Friday bringing the total of those recovered to 956.

Twelve people have died from complications arising from Covid-19.