The Ministry of Health (MOH) has announced 1,111 new COVID-19 cases in Singapore as of 12 pm on April 21. This takes the nation’s tally of infections past the 9,000 mark to a total of 9,125.
The bulk of the new cases are once again work permit holders living in foreign worker dormitories, the MOH said in a press release. Twenty cases are Singaporeans or permanent residents.
MOH noted that the number of new cases in the community has decreased, from an average of 39 cases per day in the week before, to an average of 28 per day in the past week. The number of unlinked cases in the community has also gone down slightly, from an average of 21 cases per day in the week before, to an average of 20 per day in the past week.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong also on Tuesday, April 21, announced the extension of the circuit breaker measures till June 1.
“… Unfortunately that number of unlinked cases has not come down, and this suggests there is a larger, hidden reservoir of cases in the community; and this reservoir is the source of these unlinked cases, which we have not detected,” said PM Lee in an address to the nation.
The MOH on Monday had said that extensive testing at foreign worker dormitories had resulted in a higher number of cases.
"These are not new infections as the workers are staying in their rooms and many have not reported sick. But when the teams go in to test them, many turn out to be positive."
However, most of those infected have mild symptoms and are being monitored in community isolation facilities or general wards. None are in the intensive care unit, MOH had said.
