718 MORE CASES DISCHARGED 262 NEW CASES OF COVID-19 INFECTION CONFIRMED

     As of 21 June 2020, 12pm, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed and verified an additional 262 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: 10¹ (3 Singaporeans/ Permanent Residents, 3 Work Pass holders, 4 Work Permit holders)

Of the 10 cases in the community, 8 had been picked up as a result of our proactive surveillance and screening, and the remaining 2 had already been placed on quarantine earlier. 

Amongst the 3 Singaporean/Permanent Resident cases, 1 (Case 41884) was tested as part of our proactive screening of students² at our Institutes of Higher Learning who are diagnosed with acute respiratory infection (ARI) at first presentation to a doctor. He is a student at Nanyang Technological University, but has not gone to the university since early April 2020. The remaining 2 cases (Cases 41956 and 42115) had been detected due to our proactive surveillance of persons working or living at dormitories, even though they are asymptomatic.

All 7 Work Pass/ Work Permit holders were tested even though they are asymptomatic. Amongst them, 2 (Cases 42003 and 42100) had been identified as contacts of previously confirmed cases, and had already been quarantined at government quarantine facilities. They were swabbed during quarantine to verify their status. Another 3 cases (Cases 42098, 42112 and 42116) were tested as part of our efforts to screen workers in essential services. The remaining 2 cases (Cases 42113 and 42114) were detected through our proactive screening of persons working at dormitories.

Overall, the number of new cases in the community has decreased, from an average of 8 cases per day in the week before, to an average of 4 per day in the past week. The number of unlinked cases in the community has remained stable at an average of 2 per day in the past two weeks. We will continue to closely monitor these numbers, as well as the cases detected through our surveillance programme.

c) Cases residing in dormitories: 252

We continue to pick up cases amongst Work Permit holders residing in dormitories, including in factory-converted dormitories, because of extensive testing in these premises, as part of our process to verify and test the status of all workers. 

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, 97% are linked to known clusters, while the rest are pending contact tracing. 

Links between previous cases found

4.    In the past week (14 June to 20 June), MOH has uncovered links for 5 previously unlinked cases. 

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

Update on condition of confirmed cases

6,    718 more cases of COVID-19 infection have been discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities. In all, 34,942 have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged from hospitals or community care facilities. 

7.    There are currently 179 confirmed cases who are still in hospital. Of these, most are stable or improving, and 1 is in critical condition in the intensive care unit. 6,948 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. 26 have passed away from complications due to COVID-19 infection. 

MINISTRY OF HEALTH
21 JUNE 2020

¹Updated from the afternoon press release as one more case has been re-classified following contact tracing.
²Includes students aged 13-years-old and above studying at secondary schools (including student care centres), special education schools, Institutes of Higher Learning and Private Education Institutions. For younger students, doctors will assess if a test is required.