4 new COVID-19 cases in Singapore; 10th consecutive day of no local infections

SINGAPORE: Singapore reported four new COVID-19 cases as of noon on Friday (Nov 20), said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in its preliminary daily update.

All the cases were imported and placed on stay-home notice upon arrival, MOH said.

No locally transmitted cases were reported for the 10th consecutive day.

Three of the cases were asymptomatic and detected through proactive screening and surveillance, MOH said.

The new cases include a 38-year-old Singaporean man who had returned from Sweden, and an 18-year-old man from Russia who is on a short-term visit pass and is enrolled in a private school in Singapore.

The remaining cases are a 28-year-old and a 40-year-old, both female work permit holders from Indonesia.

Six more COVID-19 patients have been also discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities, bringing the total number of recoveries to 58,058.

There are 26 patients currently still in hospital, with one in critical condition in the intensive care unit. Another 31 cases who have mild symptoms or are clinically well but still testing positive for the virus are isolated and cared for at community facilities.

READ: Commentary – A COVID-19 vaccine in Singapore? Here's what has to happen first

ALL RESIDENTS TO RECEIVE FREE MASKS

From Nov 30, all Singapore residents will be able to collect a free pair of antimicrobial face masks, under the third such initiative organised by Temasek Foundation.

The 3D masks are made by Proshield and come in four sizes.

"This is similar to the white Singapore lion mask that was distributed in the National Day pack meant for every household," said Temasek Holdings CEO Ho Ching in a Facebook post on Thursday.

Mdm Ho added that the masks will come with "pockets" like those seen in many do-it-yourself masks.

They will also come with spare filters, which can be slipped into the mask pocket if the wearer prefers to have more protection in crowded places. 

As of Friday, Singapore has reported a total of 58,143 COVID-19 cases, with 28 fatalities.

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