SINGAPORE: While there have been some comments that the authorities have reduced the volume of COVID-19 testing for migrant workers, this is not true, said Health Minister Gan Kim Yong on Monday (Apr 27).
“Our testing capacity for migrant workers is about 3,000 a day. We have not reduced it. Instead, we have been increasing the capacity of testing of our migrant workers. The rate of testing has not slowed,” Mr Gan said at a COVID-19 multi-ministry task force press conference.
AdvertisementAdvertisementInfectious diseases expert Professor Dale Fisher had said in an interview with CNA over the weekend that at some dormitories, the rate of COVID-19 positivity is so high that there is no need to test anymore.
Mr Gan added that a total of 21,000 migrant workers living in dormitories have been tested since the start of the outbreak.
“This means that one in 15 migrant workers in dormitories have been tested. This is far higher than the testing rates seen in other countries like Korea, which is one in 19, as well as other countries like the United States, United Kingdom, or even Hong Kong,” he said.
The authorities started testing at dormitories where there were a high number of cases detected, and now it is actively testing at other dormitories as cases emerge, including at factory-converted dormitories, he said.
AdvertisementAdvertisement“We are also actively testing around confirmed cases in these dormitories, where new cases are starting to emerge in an effort to isolate cases, and contain further transmission,” he said.
He added that for dormitories where the assessed rate of infection is “extremely high”, efforts are focused on isolating those who are symptomatic, even without a confirmed COVID-19 tests.
“This allows us to quickly provide medical care to these patients,” he said.
Testing serves important objectives such as diagnosing patients, to provide them with appropriate treatment and care and carrying out contact tracing so to limit and control the spread, he said.
There were 799 new cases of the coronavirus in Singapore as of noon on Monday, according to the preliminary figures from the Health Ministry. Most of them were work permit holders staying in dormitories. Fourteen were Singaporeans or permanent residents.
To date, there have been 14,423 cases of COVID-19 in the country.
[h=3]IN PICTURES: Singapore switches off for circuit breaker[/h]Singapore is nearly three weeks into its "circuit breaker" period to try and break the COVID-19 cycle of transmission. Initially scheduled to end on May 4, the circuit breaker will now only end on Jun 1. During this time, all non-essential businesses have to remain closed and residents are required to stay home except for buying food and exercising alone.
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