Singapore’s Health Ministry is reporting 908 new COVID-19 cases today as the country races to clear the disease from all worker dormitories this week.
Roughly double the daily total of recent weeks and the most reported since May 1, today’s new cases were found in the final batch of afflicted residences, the ministry said. The government is trying to make good on its vow to test all of the 300,000-plus sequestered dorm residents for the coronavirus as part of measures to contain the disease.
The Health Ministry added that it is on track to clear all dormitories by Friday except for some blocks operating as quarantine facilities.
Most of the migrant workers confirmed with the disease today came from dorms with “a relatively high prevalence of COVID-19” and were asymptomatic when tested, it said.
“Hence we expect the daily case counts to be high for the coming days, before tapering down thereafter as the Inter-agency Taskforce completes the dormitory clearance,” according to its statement.
It later added: “There are presently about 9,700 workers in these quarantine facilities. They will have to serve out their 14-day isolation periods, and be subject to an exit test before they are able to resume work.”
Seventeen blocks across eight different dormitories currently serve as quarantine facilities. The Manpower Ministry said yesterday that nearly nine in 10 workers have been declared virus-free, with 180,000 given the green light to return to work.
Today saw the most new cases reported since May 1, when 932 infections were reported. Eight others who tested positive as of noon today involved individuals living outside of dormitories.
Three were either Singaporeans or Permanent Residents and one was a Work Pass holder. Another four cases were imported from abroad, and those people have been served with stay-home notices.
The latest numbers bring the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 54,346.
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Nearly 9 in 10 of Singapore’s dorm residents free of COVID-19: Manpower Ministry
