As Singapore enters the 12th day of the Circuit Breaker (CB), the Ministry of Health (MOH) reported a record-breaking 942 new cases of Covid-19 on Saturday (18 Apr) afternoon, bringing the national tally to 5,992.
Not much information, however, was provided regarding the cases, apart from the fact that most of them were linked to workers’ dormitories.
On the same night, MOH revealed more information about the new cases. Here’s a summary.
The new cases reported on Saturday (18 Apr) largely followed the recent trend with the majority of them linked to workers’ dormitories.
Of the 942 new cases, 893 – or around 95% – involve Work Permit holders living in dormitories.
79%, or around 705 of the dormitories cases are linked to known clusters. MOH is currently conducting contact tracing for the remaining cases.
As shared yesterday, many of the Covid-19 patients living in dormitories have mild symptoms and do not require treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
While the number of cases linked to dormitories continues to rise, the number of community cases have decreased.
22 cases in the community were reported today, down from 27 yesterday.
Here’s a breakdown:
The drop in the number of Singaporeans and PR who tested positive is the most notable.
The 14 cases under this category account for just ~1.5% of the total cases today and are 36% fewer than the 22 cases reported yesterday.
Separately, 27 Work Permit holders staying outside dormitories have also tested positive for the coronavirus.
MOH also announced the tragic demise of a 40-year-old Malaysian man who tested positive for Covid-19.
The patient – Case 4754 -was found to be infected with the coronavirus on Friday (17 April) yet his cause of death wasn’t due to complications arising from Covid-19.
According to MOH’s press release, the patient passed away due to “acute myocardial infarction with cardiogenic shock” — in short, a heart attack.
MS News extends our heartfelt condolences to the deceased’s family and friends.
In more positive news, 38 new patients have made a full recovery from the infection. In total, 740 Covid-19 patients have been discharged to date.
The number of patients who need treatment in the ICU has, however, risen from 22 yesterday to 23 today.
Even though the number of cases linked to workers’ dormitories continues to be worrying with its upwards trajectory, the recent drop in local cases might be indicative that the ‘Circuit Breaker’ is effective.
That said, the days ahead are likely to be crucial in our nation’s fight against the infectious disease, so let’s continue to adhere to the social distancing measures however inconvenient they may be.
After all, the sooner we bring the outbreak under control, the sooner our lives can resume normalcy.
Featured image adapted from Facebook.
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