Singapore reported 142 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday (8 April), bringing the total number of cases here to 1,632, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in its daily update.
This is the biggest single-day increase the republic has recorded since the outbreak began here in January.
All but two cases are imported, and among the local cases, 55 were linked to previous clusters—of which 40 are linked to clusters at foreign worker dormitories. 13 cases were also linked to previously announced cases. Contact tracing is being done for the remaining 72 cases that are currently unlinked.
Amid the rise in cases of coronavirus in Singapore, the government has begun implementing “circuit breakers” to prevent further spread of the virus. | Image source: iStock/Rajaraman Arumugam
142 new cases of Coronavirus in Singapore
Among the 142 new cases reported on Tuesday (8 April) is a child aged 12 and an 8-month-old infant.
Case 1537 is an 8-month-old male India national who is currently a long-term pass holder in Singapore. The infant tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday and has since been confined at the National University Hospital (NUH).
Case 1538 is a 12-year-old female Singapore permanent resident. She tested positive for the virus infection on Monday and has since been in isolation at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).
Both cases are currently unlinked based on the summary provided by MOH.
Indian national with COVID-19 dies while awaiting test results
The health agency also reported another death linked to COVID-19 here.
Case 1604, a 32-year-old male Indian national who was a Long Term Pass holder, had been swabbed at NCID for COVID-19 on 7 April and was advised to stay at home, pending the test result. He died the next day.
A laminated sign points to the screening centre at National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) at Tan Tock Seng Hospital. | Image source: iStock/AndersSlagaLarsen
He was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection after his demise. MOH said the patient’s chest X-ray indicated he did not have pneumonia and investigations are ongoing to establish the cause of death.
Updates on previous cases
29 more cases of COVID-19 infection have been discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities. In all, 406 have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities, said MOH.
Of the 669 confirmed cases who are still in hospital, most are stable or improving. 29 are in critical condition in the intensive care unit.
542 cases who are clinically well but still test positive for COVID-19 are isolated and cared for at Concord International Hospital, Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Gleneagles Hospital, Mount Alvernia Hospital, Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital and the Community Isolation Facility at D’Resort NTUC.
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