52 new infections, with 28 imported cases

The Ministry of Health (MOH) reported 52 new Covid-19 infections yesterday, including 28 imported cases.

All except two of the imported cases were returning citizens, permanent residents or long-term work pass holders.

The other 24 cases were local transmissions.

Of these, 10 were linked to previous infections while 14 were unlinked, with contact tracing ongoing.

Two more cases were linked to the PCF Sparkletots pre-school at Fengshan Block 126, which was identified as one of two new clusters on Wednesday, bringing its total number of infections to 20.

The new infections are Case 660, a 22-year-old Filipino woman who works in the pre-school, and Case 638, a 49-year-old Singaporean man who is a family member of Case 601, the pre-school's principal.

All PCF centres will be closed till Sunday to review its precautionary measures and to clean the premises.

There was one new infection at the second new cluster identified on Wednesday - Dover Court International School. Case 662, a 42-year-old British man who has a work pass here, is part of the school staff and has travel history to Malaysia.

Among the local unlinked cases is Case 666, a 32-year-old Singaporean woman who is an associate consultant at the National Skin Centre.

She reported the onset of symptoms on March 24 and was confirmed with Covid-19 yesterday.

Prior to hospital admission, she had gone to work but has no travel history to affected countries. She is warded in an isolation room at Singapore General Hospital, and contact tracing is ongoing.

Of the imported infections, Case 664 is a 38-year-old American woman and Case 680 is a 19-year-old British man. Both their travel histories have yet to be confirmed.

The other 26 are Singapore residents or pass holders:

• nine from the UK,with four below 30 years old
• eight from the US, with six cases below the age of 30
• nine from Asian countries.

Twelve cases were discharged yesterday, which means 172 have recovered from the infection.

Of the 422 cases still in hospital, 18 are in critical condition in the intensive care unit.

Eighty-seven cases who are clinically well but still test positive for Covid-19 have been transferred to private hospitals and community facilities.

In a statement, Mount Elizabeth Hospital said two Covid-19 patients, who were among the first batch of 29 cases transferred there from the National Centre for Infectious Diseases on March 23, were discharged yesterday.

---

By the numbers

28  -  New imported cases

24  -  New local cases

683 -  Total cases

12  -  Discharged yesterday

172 -  Total discharged
 
2   -  Deaths

422 -  Total in hospital

18  -  In intensive care unit