PETALING JAYA: The number of Covid-19 cases in Singapore has exceeded those in Malaysia, with the island republic recording a total of 5,992 cases as of Saturday (April 18).

Singapore's Ministry of Health said that another 942 cases of Covid-19 cases were recorded with the "vast majority" comprising work permit holders residing in foreign worker dormitories, reported The Straits Times.

"The number of local cases has continued to decline, with 14 Singaporeans/Permanent Residents among the cases today," MOH said in a Facebook post on Saturday.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had said that Covid-19 infections in foreign workers' dormitories could be expected to grow for a while more and it would take some time for circuit-breaker measures to show results.

As of Friday (April 17), Malaysia had confirmed 5,251 Covid-19 infections in the country.

So far, 2,967 patients have recovered from Covid-19 in Malaysia since the outbreak began, which means there are only 2,198 active cases currently treated at the country's health facilities.