NTU student among 2 Singaporean Covid-19 cases; 262 new cases

[SINGAPORE] A 22-year-old Nanyang Technological University student is among two new Singaporean cases reported by the Health Ministry (MOH) on Sunday (June 21).

He was tested as part of proactive screening for those diagnosed with acute respiratory infection when they first see a doctor, said MOH.

The student was confirmed to have Covid-19 on Saturday after the onset of symptoms on Thursday.

The other Singaporean and a permanent resident were detected due to proactive surveillance of people working or living at dormitories, even for those who were asymptomatic.

Singapore confirmed another 262 cases of Covid-19 on Sunday, of which 252 are migrant workers in the dormitories and 10 are community cases. This brings the country's total to 42,095.

Of the 10, seven are work pass holders and three are Singaporeans or permanent residents.

One more case was added to the nine which MOH earlier reported as it was re-classified following contact tracing, the ministry said.

The seven work pass holders were tested even though they were asymptomatic.

Cases continue to be picked up among work permit holders staying in dorms, due to extensive testing there as part of the process to verify and test the status of all workers, said the ministry.Of the new cases, 97 per cent were linked to known clusters.

The daily average of new community cases has dropped to four the past week from eight the previous week.

In the same period, the average number of unlinked community cases has remained stable at two a day.

One new cluster was reported at a dormitory in 242 Woodlands Industrial Park E5.

With 718 new cases discharged, 34,932 patients have fully recovered from the disease.

Only one patient remains in critical condition in the intensive care unit (ICU).

The number of patients in the ICU has been on a decline since it peaked on April 10 with 32.

A total of 179 cases remain in hospital, while 6,948 are recuperating in community facilities.Singapore has had 26 deaths from Covid-19 complications, while 10 who tested positive have died of other causes.

THE STRAITS TIMES