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SINGAPORE: Singapore reported two new cases of COVID-19 as of noon on Sunday (November 8), the Ministry of Health (MINSA) said in its daily preliminary update.
Both were imported cases that were placed on a stay-at-home notice upon arrival in Singapore.
There were no cases in the community or in the workers’ bedrooms.
The new infections bring Singapore’s COVID-19 case count to 58,056.
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SAFE REOPENING
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Sunday that political leadership is needed to persuade people to keep security measures in place when the number of cases is low.
In a speech at the biennial conference of the Popular Action Party (PAP), Lee, who is the secretary general of the PAP, said that although the situation is under control, the country has to put itself in a position where it can open up more with confidence .
READ: Prime Minister Lee says political leadership is needed to convince people that COVID-19 measures are still needed
“We cannot just relax the current restrictions and hope that COVID-19 cases will remain low,” he said.
Greater openness will increase the chances of getting more new cases, Lee said, so Singapore should maintain its safe distancing measures.
It also has to continue to refine its safeguards, such as improving its contact tracing and testing regimes, to deal with cases that arise. This will minimize the danger of large outbreaks as the country opens up.
Lee said this will allow Singapore to enter Phase 3 without “suffering a huge second wave of infections, and returning to a more normal life” of larger social gatherings and leisure trips.
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