Singapore reports 513 new COVID-19 cases, all foreigners; tally nears 50,000

Singapore on Saturday reported 513 new coronavirus cases, all foreigners, taking the tally to nearly 50,000 in the country, the health ministry said. The new patients include two community and six imported cases.

All the 513 new patients are foreign workers, the ministry said, adding that the nationwide COVID-19 tally now stands at 49,888.

The imported patients have been placed on stay-home notice upon their arrival in Singapore, it said.

While 45,172 people have recovered so far, the virus has claimed 27 lives in the country.

The daily number of cases is expected to remain high for the next two weeks, the ministry said.

The inter-agency task force is on track to clear all the dormitories housing foreign workers by the beginning of August, with the exception of 17 standalone blocks in eight purpose-built dormitories, which serve as quarantine facilities for 28,000 workers still serving their isolation period.

"This last batch of workers come from dormitories with a relatively high prevalence of COVID-19, and will be subject to a final test before they complete their isolation periods,” the ministry said.

"We therefore expect the daily case counts to be high for the coming two weeks, before tapering down thereafter," it said.

Singapore will implement additional measures to ensure safe distancing at hotspots and step-up enforcement measures, after crowding was observed at some popular areas over recent weekends, Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong said on Friday.

The country entered Phase 2 of its reopening on June 19.

Noting that more people are gathering, particularly on beaches and in parks, over the past few weekends, Wong said agencies will monitor people who are entering the beaches or parks and proactively stop them from going in when the areas are close to the capacity limits.

"We cannot and should not rely on enforcement to remind ourselves to be socially responsible. This new COVID normal that we need to move to, the role of (the) individual is crucial. Fighting the virus requires significant shifts in behaviour and mindset," he said. 

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