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SINGAPORE: The number of new daily COVID-19 cases imported into Singapore from abroad exceeded the number of new infections among migrant workers living in dormitories for the first time in six months on Thursday (October 1), according to data compiled by CNA.
Singapore had 21 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a preliminary report.
The ministry classifies COVID-19 cases into three categories: imported, community, and those residing in dormitories.
Of the new cases reported on Thursday, 15 were imported and three were in the community, leaving three bedroom infections.
This is the first time in six months that new imported cases have outpaced new infections in bedrooms.
The last time the daily count of infections imported into Singapore from abroad exceeded those in migrant workers’ dormitories was on April 1, about a week after authorities began banning short-term visitors from entering the country. On April 1, there were 19 imported cases and 13 infections among those in working-class neighborhoods.
READ: Rigorous testing could help jump-start travel, but challenges remain, experts say
MEASURES TO ADDRESS IMPORTED CASES, BEDROOM INFECTIONS
Singapore reported its first COVID-19 case on January 23: a 66-year-old Chinese national from Wuhan who had arrived in Singapore three days earlier.
It had 455 cases as of March 22, the same day the Health Ministry announced that short-term visitors would be barred from entering or transit through Singapore.
The restrictions, which came into effect at 11:59 pm on March 23, were made in view of the “increased risk of importation of COVID-19 cases,” the ministry said at the time.
New imported infections fell sharply shortly after the travel restrictions, with zero such cases in more than half of the days in April.
However, new cases among migrant worker dormitories began to rise in April, with daily numbers surpassing 1,000 in two days.
During the following months, a series of measures were put in place to control the situation, including the closure of all dormitories, the separation of healthy and essential workers in alternative accommodation, the installation of medical facilities on site and the conducting of tests to all workers.
READ: Migrant workers will stay in dormitories on rest days in Phase 2 reopening: MOM
Since all the dormitories were cleaned, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has implemented safe living, safe work and safe rest days measures in the dormitories of migrant workers to prevent the spread and formation of large groups of COVID-19.
Workers are also required to undergo regular routine tests as part of efforts to detect COVID-19 early.
The daily case count in bedrooms dropped to double-digit numbers on Aug. 11 and has remained below 20 cases a day for the past week.
READ: The long and challenging journey to control COVID-19 in migrant worker dormitories
FACILITATE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS
Singapore is now in Phase 2 of its reopening after a nearly two-month “breaker” period to halt the spread of COVID-19.
Almost every industry has been affected by the COVID-19 restrictions. With border restrictions and blockades in most parts of the world, the aviation and tourism sectors have been particularly hard hit, with airlines forced to ground their planes.
In August, Singapore recorded 8,190 visitor arrivals, 99.5 percent less than in the same period last year.
Singapore’s borders are now being gradually reopened to allow safe travel in limited quantities, with the necessary sanitary guarantees.
On Wednesday, Singapore said it would lift border restrictions for short-term visitors from Australia, excluding the state of Victoria and Vietnam from October 8.
The move came after Singapore lifted border restrictions for visitors from Brunei and New Zealand effective September 8.
Every step Singapore takes to reopen its borders safely will help “resuscitate” Changi Airport, Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung said on Wednesday.
Singapore’s COVID-19 case count is currently 57,786, with 27 deaths related to the disease.
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