SINGAPORE: Singapore reported 908 new COVID-19 cases as of noon on Wednesday (Aug 5), including four in the community and four imported infections, said the Ministry of Health (MOH).
This brings the total number of cases in the country to 54,254.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThe vast majority of the new cases reported on Wednesday are work permit holders residing in foreign worker dormitories. MOH attributed the high number of cases to the ongoing clearance of dormitories.
"The vast majority are dormitory residents who were tested during their isolation/ quarantine period, even though they are asymptomatic," the health ministry said.
"They are among the final batch of workers being cleared and they come from dormitories with a relatively high prevalence of COVID-19.
"Hence we expect the daily case counts to be high for the coming days, before tapering down thereafter as the inter-agency task force completes the dormitory clearance."
AdvertisementAdvertisementOf the four community cases, three are Singaporeans or permanent residents and one is a work pass holder, said MOH in its preliminary daily update.
The four imported cases were placed on stay-home notices upon arrival in Singapore.
More details will be released on Wednesday night, said MOH.
[h=3]READ: Foreign worker dormitory linked to more than 1,500 COVID-19 cases among 9 more clusters closed[/h][h=3]READ: Sri Lankan man tested positive for COVID-19 while awaiting repatriation after 4-week sentence for overstaying[/h]On Tuesday, the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and Singapore Prison Service (SPS) provided an update on a recent community case - a Sri Lankan man, referred to as a prison inmate by MOH on Monday.
ICA and SPS told CNA the 26-year-old man is awaiting repatriation after serving his sentence for overstaying in Singapore. He was arrested on Jun 30, remanded the Changi Prison Complex the following day and sentenced on Jul 6 to four weeks in jail.
At the end of his sentence, he was released into ICA’s custody on Jul 27 for repatriation to Sri Lanka.
As there were no flights available, the man was returned to SPS’ custody on Jul 30 to await repatriation and underwent the mandatory 14-day cohort segregation and swab tests again.
He tested positive for COVID-19 on Aug 2.
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