COVID-19: Cases in Singapore

As of 24 October 2020, 12pm, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed and verified 3 new cases of locally transmitted COVID-19 infection. Of these, 2 are in the community, and 1 resides in a dormitory. In addition, there are 11 imported cases, who had all been placed on Stay-Home Notice (SHN) upon arrival in Singapore. Amongst the new cases today, 12 are asymptomatic, and were detected from our proactive screening and surveillance, while 2 were symptomatic.

Overall, the number of new cases in the community has decreased from 4 cases in the week before, to 3 in the past week. The number of unlinked cases in the community has increased from 1 case in the week before, to 3 in the past week.

Among the cases:

• Cases in the community: 2
  • 2 symptomatic

There are 2 cases in the community today who are currently unlinked. One case is a security officer at Changi Airport Terminal 3. Prior to hospital admission, he had gone to work, as well as visited the Singapore National Eye Centre for treatment of a non-related medical condition. Another case is a temperature screener and swab assistant at Raffles Medical at Changi Airport Terminal 3, and had gone to work prior to hospital admission. Both cases were detected under enhanced community testing to test all individuals aged 13 and above who are diagnosed with acute respiratory infection (ARI) at first presentation to a doctor.

While both cases work at Changi Airport Terminal 3, they had not interacted with each other, and epidemiological investigations so far have not established any link between them. As a precautionary measure, all individuals working at Changi Airport Terminal 3 who may have contact with travellers will be tested for COVID-19.

As travel volume is expected to pick up in the coming months, MOH has been in discussion with relevant agencies to ramp up Rostered Routine Testing of frontline staff working at Changi Airport. More details will be provided later.

• Cases residing in dormitories: 1
  • 1 asymptomatic

  There is 1 case residing in a dormitory today. He was detected through the bi-weekly Rostered Routine Testing of workers living in dormitories.

• Imported cases: 11
  • 11 asymptomatic

Amongst the 11 imported cases, 3 are Singaporeans and 1 is a Singapore Permanent Resident who returned from India and the Philippines. Another 3 cases are Work Permit holders currently employed in Singapore who arrived from Indonesia and the Philippines. 3 more cases are a Student’s Pass holder who arrived from France and 2 Long-Term Visit Pass holders (who arrived from India and Indonesia. The remaining case is a Short-Term Visit Pass holder who arrived from India. She was allowed entry into Singapore as her parent is a Singapore Permanent Resident. 

They had all been placed on SHN upon arrival in Singapore and were tested while serving SHN.

12 more cases of COVID-19 infection have been discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities. In all, 57,844 have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged from hospitals or community care facilities. 

Most of the 53 confirmed cases who are still in hospital are stable or improving. None is in the intensive care unit.

40 cases who have mild symptoms, or are clinically well but still test positive for COVID-19 are isolated and cared for at community facilities. 

28 have passed away from complications due to COVID-19 infection. 

Related link: List of public places visited by confirmed cases in the community during Infectious Period

For more details, refer to MOH’s press release.