Singapore reports 49 new COVID-19 cases, new cluster at SingPost Centre

SINGAPORE: Singapore reported 49 new COVID-19 cases on Friday (Mar 27), including a 1-year-old girl and a new cluster at SingPost Centre. This takes the country’s total number of cases to 732. 

Of the new cases, 22 are imported and had travelled to Europe, North America and ASEAN, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in a press release. 

Eighteen of the cases are linked to clusters or previous cases, while nine cases are currently unlinked. Contact tracing is ongoing. 

MOH said that three of the confirmed cases (Cases 581, 689 and 724) are linked to a new cluster at SingPost Centre at 10 Eunos Road 8.

Five other cases are linked to the cluster at PCF Sparkletots pre-school in Fengshan, taking the total number of people infected in this group to 25.

They include a 2-year-old girl, a 6-year-old girl, an 11-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl. The other patient is a 67-year-old woman.

The four children are family members of Case 521, a family member of the principal at the pre-school, while the woman is a non-teaching staff who was earlier placed on quarantine, said the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) in a statement.

6-YEAR-OLD CHILD ENROLLED AT PPIS CENTRE IN BEDOK

ECDA said that the 6-year-old is enrolled at PPIS Child Development Centre – Bedok Reservoir.

The child was last in the PPIS Centre on Mar 11 and was well then.

“As the child’s last contact with the PPIS Centre was 15 days before being tested positive, the PPIS Centre is not required to close for 14 days,” said ECDA.

It added that the PPIS Centre had cleaned and disinfected its premises on Mar 25, and will do so again on Saturday as an added precaution.

Barring any new developments, the PPIS Centre will resume operations on Monday, it said.

READ: All PCF centres to close for 4 days after 14 employees, including principal, infected with COVID-19

11 MORE PATIENTS DISCHARGED

Eleven more patients have been discharged from hospital, meaning 183 cases have now fully recovered from the infection. Two patients died last Saturday. 

Of the 432 cases still in hospital, most are stable or improving. 

Seventeen are in critical condition in the intensive care unit, said MOH.  

The ministry added that 115 cases who are clinically well but still positive for COVID-19 are being isolated and cared for at Concord International Hospital, Mount Elizabeth Hospital and the Community Isolation Facility at D’Resort NTUC.

As of Thursday noon, MOH has identified 10,346 close contacts who have been quarantined. 

Of these, 3,330 are currently quarantined, and 7,016 have completed their quarantine.

PENALTIES IF SAFE DISTANCING RULES, STAY-HOME NOTICES BREACHED

Individuals, event organisers and owners of premises who break rules meant to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Singapore can face jail terms and fines under new regulations. 

Those who breach their stay-home notice will also face similar penalties, said MOH. 

READ: Jail terms, fines for those who breach COVID-19 safe-distancing rules, stay-home notice

READ: Those who breach stay-home notice will be charged in court, says Shanmugam

Those found guilty of breaching the stay-home notice may be jailed up to six months, or fined up to S$10,000, or both under the new regulations. Those found guilty of breaching the safe distancing rules face similar penalties.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Friday said that the economic challenge from the COIVD-19 crisis was very “grave”. 

This is why it is absolutely crucial “to respond effectively to the immediate challenge, and also to give people confidence that we can cope with this”, said Mr Lee in a doorstop interview. 

Mr Lee also said that Singapore “was under no illusions that this is the end of the story” as nobody could tell what lies ahead. 

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