Via Channel NewsAsia: 573 new COVID-19 cases in Singapore, including 3 from public healthcare sector. Excerpt:
SINGAPORE: Singapore reported 573 new cases of COVID-19 as of noon on Monday (May 4), taking the country's total to 18,778.
The majority of the new cases are work permit holders residing in foreign worker dormitories, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in its daily update of preliminary figures.
The ministry said in another update on Monday evening that three of the new cases are from the public healthcare sector, inlcuding a healthcare volunteer at Singapore Expo and a doctor at Changi General Hospital (CGH).
Of the new cases reported on Monday, 560 patients are work permit holders living in dormitories, eight are work permit holders living outside dormitories, and five are Singaporeans or permanent residents.
"The number of new cases in the community has decreased, from an average of 20 cases per day in the week before, to an average of nine per day in the past week," said MOH.
"The number of unlinked cases in the community has also decreased, from an average of 12 cases per day in the week before, to an average of four per day in the past week," said the ministry.
CASES FROM PUBLIC HEALTHCARE SECTOR
Three cases reported on Monday were from the public healthcare sector.
Case 18510 is a 33-year-old Singaporean woman with no recent travel history to affected countries or regions.
She was diagnosed with COVID-19 on May 3, and is currently warded at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, said MOH. Prior to hospital admission, she had gone to work as a facilities manager at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).
Another patient, Case 18583, is a 32-year-old Singaporean woman who had been at work for a few hours as a doctor at CGH before hospital admission.
She was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on May 3 and is currently warded at CGH.
Case 18669 is a 52-year-old Singaporean woman who was diagnosed with COVID-19 infection on May 4, and is currently warded at NCID. Prior to hospital admission, she had gone to work as a healthcare volunteer at the community care facility at Singapore EXPO.
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said in Parliament on Monday that as of Apr 26, there have been 66 cases of confirmed COVID-19 infection among healthcare workers and support staff.
“Based on the investigations thus far, there are no established epidemiological links showing that these healthcare workers were infected in the line of duty,” Mr Gan said. However, there is "one case in a private healthcare institution where we are unable to rule out a possible link between the doctor and a COVID-19 patient”, he said.
