A total of 404 new cases are from foreign worker dormitories.

SINGAPORE: Singapore reported a record 447 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday (Apr 15), taking the national total to 3,699.



Of the new cases, 68 per cent are linked to previously identified clusters, while contact tracing is ongoing for the remaining cases, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in its daily update.





A total of 404 new cases are from foreign worker dormitories. Five are work permit holders living outside the dormitories.

As for local cases in the community, 38 cases were reported on Wednesday, and there were no new imported cases.

Four new clusters were identified, including three foreign worker dormitories.



The number of new cases among work permit holders has increased "significantly" partly due to "ongoing efforts to undertake more active testing of the workers", said MOH.

It increased from an average of 48 cases a day last week to 260 cases a day in the past week. The vast majority of them are residing in dormitories, added MOH.



Between Apr 8 to Apr 14, the ministry has uncovered links for 375 previously unlinked cases.

NEW CLUSTERS



Four previously confirmed cases have now been linked to a new cluster at a dormitory located at 10 Kian Teck Crescent.

One newly confirmed case is linked to three previous cases, forming a new cluster at Kian Teck Dormitory (26 Kian Teck Avenue).

Another newly confirmed case is linked to six previous cases, forming a new cluster at Mandai Lodge (460 Mandai Road).



Seven previously confirmed cases have now been linked to a new cluster at 234 Balestier Road.

Here are the updated numbers of cases at previously identified clusters:

S11 Dormitory @ Punggol: 74 newly linked cases, 797 cases in total

Westlite Toh Guan dormitory: 22 newly linked cases, 110 cases in total

Sungei Tengah Lodge: 91 newly linked cases, 279 cases in total

Mustafa Centre: One newly linked case, 87 cases in total

Toh Guan Dormitory: 10 newly linked cases, 83 cases in total

Tampines Dormitory: Six newly linked cases, 61 cases in total

Acacia Lodge: 26 newly linked cases, 56 cases in total

Cochrane Lodge I: 11 newly linked cases, 53 cases in total

Cochrane Lodge II: 11 newly linked cases, 46 cases in total

Tuas View Dormitory: 27 newly linked cases, 43 cases in total

31 Sungei Kadut Avenue: 16 newly linked cases, 27 cases in total

36 Woodlands Industrial Park E1: One newly linked case, 27 cases in total

Renovation sites at the National University Hospital: One newly linked case, 26 cases in total

Shaw Lodge: Seven newly linked cases, 24 cases in total

Tech Park Crescent dormitory: Eight newly linked cases, 19 cases in total

North Coast Lodge: Eight newly linked cases, 18 cases in total

PPT Lodge 1A: Seven newly linked cases, 18 cases in total

Kranji Lodge: Five newly linked cases, 17 cases in total

Kenyon/ UBS construction site: Three newly linked cases, 15 cases in total

21B Senoko Loop: Six newly linked cases, 12 cases in total

Westlite Woodlands dormitory: One newly linked case, 10 cases in total

Kranji Dormitory: Two newly linked cases, nine cases in total

Keppel Shipyard: One newly linked case, eight cases in total

41 DISCHARGED, INCLUDING ONE OF SINGAPORE'S EARLIEST COVID-19 PATIENTS

MOH added that 41 more people have been discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities.

Among them is case 41, a 71-year-old Singaporean man who was discharged more than two months after contracting the disease.

He had been confirmed with the infection on Feb 8. His is among the longest hospital stays for a COVID-19 patient in Singapore.

In all, 652 have been discharged from hospital as of Wednesday, MOH said.

There are 1,496 confirmed cases who are still in hospital, and most are stable or improving.

A total of 26 patients are in critical condition in the intensive care unit, while 1,540 cases who are clinically well but still test positive for COVID-19 are being isolated and cared for at community facilities.



An 80 year-old Malaysian who tested positive for the coronavirus posthumously died on Tuesday from causes not related to COVID-19, said the ministry. He was case 3381.



The number of deaths due to COVID-19 remains at 10.



MANDATORY TO WEAR A MASK

It is now mandatory to wear a mask when stepping out of the house. Those caught refusing to wear a mask will be fined S$300 on their first offence, while those who flout the rule a second time will be fined S$1,000. Egregious cases will be prosecuted in court.



Announcing the new measure on Tuesday, Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong said this applies to all workplaces as well.



Foreign residents caught breaching these rules might have their work passes or permanent resident status revoked.



Health Minister Gan Kim Yong on Tuesday said that by and large, Singaporeans are taking circuit breaker measures seriously, but the country cannot be complacent.

Mr Gan, who co-chairs the multi-ministry task force set up to handle the COVID-19 situation, said: "We remain in a critical situation, the number of cases has been increasing."



Singapore has put in place strict safe distancing measures during what it calls a circuit breaker period to stem the spread of COVID-19. The measures - which include closing non-essential workplaces and schools - will be in place for one month until May 4.

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