SINGAPORE: Singapore reported 49 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday (Mar 24), of which 32 were imported infections.
This takes the country's total to 558 cases.
AdvertisementAdvertisementMost of the imported infections had a travel history to the United Kingdom, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in its daily update.
Five other imported cases had been to the United States, while other cases had travelled to Malaysia, France, Indonesia and Australia.
Of the imported cases, 25 are Singapore citizens or permanent residents while five are long term visitor pass holders.
To date, a total of 156 cases have have been discharged, including the two patients who died.
AdvertisementAdvertisementSeventeen patients are receiving treatment in the intensive care unit and remain critically ill.
[h=3]READ: COVID-19 FAQ: When will a stay-home notice be issued, and what does it mean?[/h][h=3]READ: Singapore contributes US$500,000 to support WHO efforts against COVID-19[/h]STABLE COVID-19 PATIENTS TO BE TRANSFERRED TO SELECTED PRIVATE HOSPITALS
MOH said on Monday that patients with COVID-19 who are "well and stable" will be transferred to selected private hospitals so that the public sector can have the capacity to manage more severe cases.
"As the number of COVID-19 cases rise globally and the virus spreads across the world, we expect the number of cases in Singapore to increase.
"As part of our emergency response plan, the Ministry of Health has already put in place plans to expand our hospital and clinical services capacities to deal with increasing demand," said MOH in response to media queries.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Heng Swee Keat will deliver a ministerial statement on Thursday regarding the Government’s additional support measures for workers, businesses and households in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
[h=3]READ: COVID-19: SIA reaches agreement with unions for cost-cutting measures affecting 10,000 employees[/h][h=3]READ: Singapore cuts 2020 GDP forecast range to -0.5% to 1.5% due to COVID-19 outbreak[/h]In a Facebook post on Thursday, Mr Heng said the "supplementary budget" will support Singaporeans amid the outbreak, which has "inevitably taken a big toll on our economy".
"This is a Budget to support Singaporeans to stay united and resilient. This is the first time that we are introducing a supplementary budget so soon after the main budget, reflecting how fast the situation has deteriorated over the past weeks," he wrote.
[h=3]BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the novel coronavirus and its developments[/h]Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram
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