1 community case among 34 new COVID-19 infections in Singapore

SINGAPORE: One community case was among the 34 new COVID-19 infections reported in Singapore as of noon on Wednesday (Mar 31).

The remaining cases were imported and were placed on stay-home notice or isolated upon arrival in Singapore, said the Ministry of Health (MOH).

This is the highest daily count of new cases since Jan 30, when 58 new infections were reported. 

No cases were reported in migrant workers' dormitories.

STUDENT TESTED POSITIVE AHEAD OF FLIGHT BACK TO UK

The sole community case, currently unlinked, is a 22-year-old permanent resident.

The man, known as Case 61369, had been studying in the United Kingdom. He returned to Singapore from the UK on Jan 11 and served his stay-home notice at a dedicated facility until Jan 25, as well as an additional seven-day self-isolation at his place of residence until Feb 1.

The Health Ministry said his tests taken on Jan 24 during stay-home notice and on Jan 29 during self-isolation were both negative for COVID-19. 

He is asymptomatic, and was detected when he took a COVID-19 pre-departure test on Mar 30 in preparation for his return to the UK. His test result came back positive on the same day, and he was taken to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases in an ambulance. 

MOH said his Ct value was "very high", which is indicative of a low viral load. His serology test result also came back positive.

Another test conducted by Tan Tock Seng Hospital on Mar 31 was negative for COVID-19 infection. 

"He could be shedding minute fragments of the virus RNA from a past infection which are no longer transmissible and infective to others, but given that we are not able to definitively conclude when he had been infected, we will take all the necessary public health actions as a precautionary measure," said the ministry. 

3 SEA CREW MEMBERS AMONG IMPORTED CASES

Among the imported cases reported on Wednesday is a permanent resident who returned from Myanmar. 

There was also a dependant's pass holder and two student's pass holders who arrived from India, as well as two work pass holders who arrived from India and Qatar. 

Twenty-two are work permit holders who arrived from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, of whom eight are foreign domestic workers.

Two are short-term visit pass holders. One arrived from India to visit her family members who are permanent residents while another arrived from Papua New Guinea for a work project in Singapore.

The remaining three imported cases are special pass holders who are sea crew members. One arrived from the Philippines on a vessel, and had remained onboard until he developed symptoms and was taken to a hospital. Two others arrived from Malaysia on a vessel and were tested onboard without disembarking.

INCREASE IN COMMUNITY CASES

MOH said the overall number of new cases in the community has increased from none in the week before to three cases in the past week. 

The number of unlinked cases in the community has also increased from none in the week before to three cases in the past week. 

Among the 145 confirmed cases reported from Mar 25 to Mar 31, a total of 52 cases have tested positive for their serology tests while 67 have tested negative. A further 26 serology test results are pending.

Eleven more cases have been discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities, bringing Singapore's total recoveries to 60,149.

There are 37 cases still in hospital. Most of them are stable or improving, and one is in the intensive care unit. Another 165 are being isolated and cared for at community facilities.

WORSHIPPERS WILL BE ALLOWED TO SING AT CONGREGATIONS

From Apr 5, congregants will be allowed to resume singing during worship services, but with their masks on. 

The duration of the singing must also be capped at 30 minutes in a single worship service.

READ: Congregants allowed to sing with masks on at worship services from Apr 5

Religious organisations are also encouraged to implement a distance of 2m between groups of up to eight worshippers if they are singing, said the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth on Monday. 

Existing measures will remain in place. The worship service must be kept short, and there should be no sharing of prayer books or common items such as offertory baskets.

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