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SINGAPORE: An IT engineer from Deutsche Bank is among 10 new COVID-19 infections reported in Singapore as of noon on Friday (March 12).
The engineer is the only community case reported on Friday. The remaining nine cases were imported infections and were placed on hospitalization notice upon arrival, the Ministry of Health (MINSA) said.
No new infections were reported in the dormitories of migrant workers.
THE ENGINEER REJECTED THE COVID-19 TEST
The IT engineer is a 36 year old Indian citizen who has a work pass. He works at Deutsche Bank, but has been working from home since arriving in Singapore, the Health Ministry said.
He arrived from India on January 16 and delivered his stay-at-home notice in a dedicated facility until January 30. A COVID-19 test taken on January 29 came back negative.
On March 1, she developed a runny nose and on the same day she sought medical treatment at a general medicine clinic.
“Since he refused to be tested for COVID-19, they gave him five days of medical leave and advised him to return for a test if he did not recover,” the Health Ministry said.
The man was confirmed to have COVID-19 on March 11 when he conducted a pre-departure test in preparation for a trip to India. He was taken to the National Center for Infectious Diseases in an ambulance.
His serological test came back positive, indicating a probable past infection, the Health Ministry said.
He is currently unrelated to previous cases. Epidemiological investigations are ongoing and all of his identified close contacts, including household contacts, have been isolated and quarantined.
Tests will be done at the beginning and end of your quarantine period to detect asymptomatic cases. Serological tests will also be carried out to determine if the case could have been infected by them, the Health Ministry said.
“We strongly urge everyone to play their role in reducing the risk of transmission. Those who are advised by their doctor to get tested for COVID-19 should do so, even if they show early / mild symptoms,” the Health Ministry added.
IMPORTED CASES
The imported cases include four foreign domestic workers who arrived from Indonesia and the Philippines, as well as two work pass holders from Indonesia and Switzerland.
A student pass holder from Indonesia and two short-term visit pass holders from Indonesia and Cambodia were also among the cases reported on Friday.
The holders of the short-term visit pass, a 32-year-old man and a 60-year-old woman, were already receiving medical care in Singapore and had returned for further treatment, the Health Ministry said.
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Eleven more cases have been discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities, bringing Singapore’s total recoveries to 59,950.
There are 21 cases still in the hospital, most of which are stable or improving. One case remains in critical condition in the intensive care unit.
Another 80 cases who have mild symptoms or are clinically well but still test positive for COVID-19 are isolated and cared for in community facilities.
PLACES VISITED BY COVID-19 CASES WHILE THEY ARE INFECTIOUS
Bugis Junction and several restaurants were added to the MOH’s list of places visited by COVID-19 cases in the community during its infectious period on Friday.
Sengkang Community Club and a massage parlor at The Midtown on Serangoon Road were also on the list.
The full list is as follows:
Closing the digital divide was a “key issue” raised by Singaporeans in talks on how to forge a better future after COVID-19, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said on Thursday.
Speaking at the launch of the Smart Nation & U 2021 event, Mr. Heng also highlighted the role of digital technology in Singapore’s fight against COVID-19, such as the use of TraceTogether and Safe Entry to facilitate close contact tracing of confirmed cases, as well as the use of virtual meetings to conduct business and keep in touch with loved ones.
As of Friday, Singapore has reported a total of 60,080 COVID-19 cases and 29 deaths from the disease.
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