477 More Cases Discharged; 202 New Cases of COVID-19 Infection Confirmed

       As of 29 June 2020, 12pm, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed and verified an additional 202 cases of COVID-19 infection in Singapore. The breakdown is as follows:

a) Imported cases: 0 

There are no imported cases today. 

b) Cases in the community: 6 (4 Singaporeans, 2 Work Permit holders)

Of the 6 cases in the community, 4 had been picked up as a result of our proactive surveillance and screening, and 1 had already been placed on quarantine earlier.

Amongst the 4 Singaporean cases, 1 (Case 43538) had been identified as a contact of a previously confirmed case, and had already been quarantined earlier. He was swabbed during quarantine to verify his status. Another 2 (Cases 43539 and 43637) were detected due to our proactive surveillance of persons working at dormitories or deployed to frontline COVID-19 operations, even though they are asymptomatic. Epidemiological investigations are ongoing for the remaining case (Case 43691).

Both Work Permit holders (Cases 43540 and 43638) are asymptomatic, and had been swabbed as part of our proactive screening of workers in essential services or those working at dormitories.

Besides the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, we also conducted serological tests to determine if some of these cases are current or past infections.[1] The serological test results for Cases 43539 and 43540 have come back positive, which indicate likely past infections. The test results for the remaining cases are pending.

Overall, the number of new cases in the community has increased, from an average of 4 cases per day in the week before, to an average of 7 per day in the past week. The number of unlinked cases in the community has also increased, from an average of 2 cases per day in the week before, to an average of 4 per day in the past week. We will continue to closely monitor these numbers, as well as the cases detected through our surveillance programme. 

c)  Cases residing in dormitories: 196 

We continue to pick up cases amongst Work Permit holders residing in dormitories, including in factory-converted dormitories, because of extensive testing in these premises, as part of our process to verify and test the status of all workers.

2.     Details of these trends can be found in MOH’s daily situation Report (www.moh.gov.sg/covid-19/situation-report). Please refer to Annex A for the summary of the confirmed cases.

3.     Of the new cases, 97% are linked to known clusters, while the rest are pending contact tracing.

4.     We announced on 28 June that a student at East Spring Secondary School had tested positive for COVID-19. As a precaution, 39 students and 11 staff who had been in close contact with the student have been put on Leave of Absence by the Ministry of Education or Home Quarantine Order by MOH. They have been tested for COVID-19, and their test results have all come back negative. 

Links between previous cases found 

5.      In the past week (22 June to 28 June), MOH has uncovered links for 5 previously unlinked cases.

6.      Further epidemiological investigations and contact tracing have uncovered links between previously announced and new cases. Please refer to Annex B and Annex C for details. 

Update on condition of confirmed cases 

7.      477 more cases of COVID-19 infection have been discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities. In all, 37,985 have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged from hospitals or community care facilities.

8.      There are currently 197 confirmed cases who are still in hospital. Of these, most are stable or improving, and 1 is in critical condition in the intensive care unit. 5,453 are isolated and cared for at community facilities. These are those who have mild symptoms, or are clinically well but still test positive for COVID-19. 26 have passed away from complications due to COVID-19 infection. 

MINISTRY OF HEALTH
29 JUNE 2020

[1] Cases whose serological tests are positive are likely to have a past infection, and could be shedding minute fragments of the virus RNA picked by the PCR test, which were no longer transmissible and infective to others.