The Ministry of Health (MOH) on Sunday (12 April) confirmed 233 new COVID-19 cases – marking the third consecutive day with zero imported cases – and seven new clusters, bringing the total to 2,532 here.
It is also the second single-day highest figure reported thus far, following Thursday’s confirmation of 287 cases.
The seven new clusters are linked to Acacia Lodge, Tuas View Dormitory, 36 Woodlands Industrial Park E1, 85 Kallang Dormitory, Black Tap at 10 Bayfront Avenue, a Kenyon/UBS construction site at 9 Penang Road as well as McDonald’s outlets at Forum, Lido and Parklane.
Of the 233 new local transmissions, 167 have no established links – over 84 per cent, or 141, are work permit holders, mostly residing in dormitories, worksites and other living quarters.
51 are linked to clusters while 15 are linked to other cases.
Separately, 32 more patients have been discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities, bringing the total of recovered patients to 560.
A total of 14 clusters linked to foreign worker dormitories have been identified, including the S11 Dormitory@Punggol which is linked to 365 cases – the largest of its kind so far.
Seven such dorms have also been gazetted as isolation areas, including the Acacia Lodge.
Measures to combat spread of coronavirus
The COVID-19 Temporary Measures Act, passed in Parliament on Tuesday, gives authorities the power to ban events and gatherings, or impose conditions on how they are conducted, during the “circuit breaker” period lasting till 4 May.
Those caught flouting these regulations will be fined $300 and subsequently face prosecution for repeated offences.
Under the Act, the penalty for first-time offenders is up to a $10,000 fine, a jail term of up to six months, or both. For second-time or subsequent offenders, the penalty is a fine of up to $20,000 along with a possible jail term of up to a year.
People who flout their five-day medical leave or stay-home notices and do not wear masks if they have to leave their place of accommodation to seek emergency medical treatment are also subjected to similar penalties.
Part of the “circuit breaker” measures – announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong last Friday – include the closure of schools and most workplaces. Only essential services like food establishments, markets and supermarkets, transport, and key banking services will remain open during the month-long closure.
In a Good Friday address, Lee reiterated his call for Singaporeans to stay home, as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in foreign worker dormitories as well as in the general population.
Over the weekend, the authorities issued a slew of measures, including the closure of beaches, facilities in parks and gardens and playfields.
Wearing masks was also made compulsory for commuters on public transport, as well as while those visiting supermarkets, convenience stores, pharmacies, and shopping malls.
Stadiums have also been closed, while parents are not allowed to drop off their children with grandparents on a daily basis.
Separately, all Singapore residents and long-term pass holders returning from overseas apart from Hubei province must serve the 14-day stay-home notice, while those returning from Hubei must serve a 14-day quarantine.
All short-term visitors are barred from entering or transiting via Singapore.
On Monday, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat announced an additional $5.1 billion Solidarity Budget to help businesses and households.
The government’s response to COVID-19 will total $59.9 billion, or about 12 per cent of Singapore’s gross domestic product.
Over 1.8m cases globally
To date, there are over 1.8 million COVID-19 cases globally. More than 110,000 have died from the virus, with the US holding the record for the highest global death toll at over 20,000.
At over half a million cases, the country also holds the record of having the largest number of patients globally, followed by Spain at over 166,000 cases, Italy at over 152,000, followed by France at over 129,000.
China, where the virus originated, has over 82,000 cases and earlier this week reported no new coronavirus deaths for the first time since it started publishing figures in January.