38 more cases discharged; 897 new cases of COVID-19 infection confirmed

As of 24 April 2020, 12pm, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed and verified an additional 897 cases of COVID-19 infection in Singapore. The breakdown is as follows:

a)   Imported cases: 0

There are no imported cases today.  

b)   Cases in the community: 25 (13 Singaporeans/Permanent Residents, 12 Work Passes)

The number of new cases in the community has decreased, from an average of 31 cases per day in the week before, to an average of 25 per day in the past week. The number of unlinked cases in the community has also decreased, from an average of 20 cases per day in the week before, to an average of 17 per day in the past week. We will continue to closely monitor these numbers, as well as the cases detected through our surveillance programme.

c)   Work Permit holders (residing outside dormitories): 19

The number of new cases amongst Work Permit holders residing outside dormitories has continued to increase, from an average of 19 cases per day in the week before, to an average of 28 per day in the past week. 

d)   Work Permit holders (residing in dormitories): 853 

The main increase today continues to be for Work Permit holders residing in dormitories, where we are picking up many more cases because of extensive testing. Most of these cases have a mild illness and are being monitored in the community isolation facilities or general ward of our hospitals. None of them is in the intensive care unit. 

2.          Details of these trends can be found in MOH’s daily situation Report (www.moh.gov.sg/covid-19/situation-report). Please refer to Annex A for the summary of the confirmed cases.

3.          Of the new cases, 68% are linked to known clusters, while the rest are pending contact tracing.

4.          MOH has been monitoring existing clusters for any further transmission. As there have been no more cases linked to PCF Sparkletots Preschool @ Fengshan Blk 126 (126 Bedok North Street 2) for the past two incubation periods (i.e. 28 days), the cluster has now been closed.

Links between previous cases found

5.          In the past week (17 April to 23 April), MOH has uncovered links for 1,132 previously unlinked cases.

6.          Further epidemiological investigations and contact tracing have uncovered links between previously announced and new cases. Please refer to Annex B for details.

Cases from public healthcare sector

Case 11580

7.          Case 11580 is a 43 year-old female Singapore Citizen who has no recent travel history to affected countries or regions. She reported onset of symptoms on 20 April, and subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on 23 April. She is currently warded at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases.

8.          She is employed as a nurse at Bukit Merah Polyclinic but had not gone to work since onset of symptoms.

Update on condition of confirmed cases

9.          38 more cases^[1] of COVID-19 infection have been discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities. In all, 956 have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities.

10.          There are currently 1,229 confirmed cases who are still in hospital. Of these, most are stable or improving, and 24 are in critical condition in the intensive care unit. 9,878 are isolated and cared for at community facilities. These are those who have mild symptoms, or are clinically well but still test positive for COVID-19. 12 have passed away from complications due to COVID-19 infection.

11.          The cause of death for Case 8190 was multiple injuries consistent with those resulting from a fall from height, and was not due to complications from COVID-19 infection.

^[1] Cases 130, 181, 182, 342, 441, 489, 830, 1014, 1030, 1098, 1139, 1200, 1208, 1245, 1337, 1347, 1369, 1443, 1451, 1557, 1576, 1662, 1953, 2412, 2507, 2610, 2926, 3105, 3385, 3831, 4366, 4436, 4695, 5522, 5697, 6438, 6559 and 8664.