26 new COVID-19 cases in Singapore, all imported

SINGAPORE: There were 26 new COVID-19 cases in Singapore as of noon on Friday (Apr 9), the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in its preliminary daily update.

All the new infections were imported and were placed on stay-home notice upon arrival in Singapore.

No new infections were reported in foreign worker dormitories.

Details of the new cases will be released on Friday night, said MOH.

4 MMA EVENT PARTICIPANTS TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19

Four men who recently arrived in Singapore to participate in a ONE Championship mixed martial arts event in Singapore have tested positive for COVID-19, the organiser confirmed on Thursday.

Three of the men, who were from Brazil, Canada and Serbia, were among the imported cases reported on Monday.

They have been identified as Cases 61571, 61577 and 61578. They arrived on short-term visit passes to “participate in a sporting event”, MOH had said.

"One foreign participant who was on the same flight as one of these individuals also tested positive for COVID-19," said ONE, adding that he was isolated upon arrival in Singapore.

ONE Championship did not specify where the fourth person travelled from.

READ: 4 men who came to participate in ONE Championship MMA event test positive for COVID-19

On Wednesday, MOH said another man who travelled from Canada had tested positive for COVID-19. The cases is a contact of Case 61577, the previously reported case from Canada.

Known as Case 61624, the ministry said the 35-year-old also entered Singapore for a sporting event.

READ: One Championship vows strict COVID-19 measures for Singapore MMA

All four participants had tested negative for COVID-19 prior to flying into Singapore, ONE Championship said.

They were taken to hospital after testing positive for the virus, and serological tests have been conducted to find out if the infections are current.

One of the men tested positive in the serological test, indicating a likely past infection, said ONE Championship, adding that he had taken a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on Apr 6 and tested negative.

As such, he will be allowed to participate in the event.

As of Friday, Singapore has reported a total of 60,601 COVID-19 cases. 

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