73 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases in Singapore, including 21 unlinked

SINGAPORE: Singapore reported 73 new locally transmitted COVID-19 infections as of noon on Sunday (Aug 8), including 21 with no links to previous cases. 

Forty-three infections linked to previous cases were already in quarantine, and the remaining nine were detected through surveillance testing, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in its preliminary daily update. 

Among the new COVID-19 cases were five seniors above 70 years old who were unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, and at risk of serious illness, said the ministry.

There were also five new imported cases, who had been placed on stay-home notice or isolated upon arrival. All cases were detected upon arrival in Singapore.

In total, Singapore reported 78 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday. 

MOH said it will provide an update on Sunday night about the COVID-19 situation in Singapore. 

As of Sunday, Singapore has reported a total of 65,764 COVID-19 cases and 42 fatalities from the disease.

VACCINATION-DIFFERENTIATED MEASURES FROM AUG 10

With nearly 70 per cent of its population having received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, Singapore will ease its COVID-19 restrictions in two steps on Aug 10 and Aug 19.

In the first step, dining-in at F&B outlets will resume in groups of up to five for fully vaccinated people. Both vaccinated and unvaccinated people can dine in at hawker centres and coffee shops, but in group sizes of up to two.

Both vaccinated and unvaccinated people will be allowed to gather in groups of up to five and receive five distinct visitors at home daily – capped at two social gatherings a day. 

However, people who are unvaccinated should remain in groups of no more than two “to reduce the likelihood of transmission and severe infection”, MOH said in its announcement on Friday.