22 August 2020
SINGAPORE - There were 50 new coronavirus cases confirmed as of Saturday afternoon (Aug 22), taking Singapore's total to 56,266.
They included two community cases, both of whom are Singaporeans.
There were five imported cases, who had all been placed on stay-home notices upon arrival in Singapore.
On Friday, MOH said there were six Covid-19 community cases, including five unlinked ones.
Among the unlinked community cases was a 61-year-old Singaporean man who worked at SLR Revolution, a camera shop at Excelsior Shopping Centre.
He was detected under the ministry's enhanced community testing to test all individuals aged 13 and above who are diagnosed with acute respiratory infection at first presentation to a doctor.
Three of the unlinked community cases - a Malaysian, an Indian national and a Bangladeshi national - were identified by rostered routine testing of workers in the construction, marine and process sectors who are living outside the dormitories.
The last unlinked community case was a 47-year-old Singaporean woman who was detected as part of the ministry's efforts to screen individuals working in front-line Covid-19 operations.
All five unlinked community cases tested positive for the virus between Thursday and Friday.
The sixth community case - and the only linked community case - was a 14-year-old Singaporean boy who had been placed on quarantine earlier, and was tested during quarantine.
Among the 13 imported cases announced by MOH on Friday, two were short-term visit pass holders who arrived from India and the Philippines on Aug 7 and Aug 9 respectively.
They were allowed entry into Singapore because one is a spouse and caregiver of a patient who has been receiving medical treatment in Singapore, while the other is employed to work in Singapore on a project basis.
Another five imported cases are work pass and work permit holders currently employed in Singapore. They arrived from the Philippines and the United Kingdom between Aug 7 and Aug 10.
Another four imported cases comprise dependant's pass and long-term visit pass holders who arrived from India and the United Kingdom between Aug 8 and Aug 10. The remaining imported case is a 49-year-old Singaporean man who had returned to Singapore from India on Aug 7. He tested positive on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Tampines Mall, Cold Storage at West Mall and The Food Market by Food Junction at Century Square have been added to the list of places visited by Covid-19 patients while they were still infectious.
Other places new to the list on Friday were Gek Poh Shopping Centre, All India Supermart, Haniffa in Dunlop Street, The Countryside Cafe in Dunlop Street, Georges by the Bay in Punggol and Arthesdam Jewellery in Serangoon.
The ministry provides the list of locations and the times that infectious Covid-19 patients have visited for at least 30 minutes to get those who were at these places at specific periods to monitor their health closely for two weeks from the date of their visit. It has said that close contacts would already have been notified and that there is no need to avoid these places as they would have been cleaned if needed.
Source : THE STRAITS TIMES
