1,018 patients discharged as MOH tweaks criteria; 373 cases yesterday
by CLARA CHONGA total of 1,018 Covid-19 patients were discharged yesterday, after the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced a change in its discharge criteria.
All patients assessed to be clinically well and no longer infectious by day 21 of their illness will be sent home without having to undergo further tests.
As a further precaution, they have to stay at home or in their dormitories for a further seven days until day 28.
Previously, patients needed two negative swab tests, 24 hours apart, to be discharged, even if they have not been sick for some time.
It is the fourth time since the first case was reported in January that daily discharge figures have exceeded 1,000.
A 49-year-old pre-school employee, who is a work pass holder from China, is the only community case among the 373 coronavirus cases announced yesterday.
The remaining 372 cases were migrant workers staying in dorms.
NEW CLUSTERS
Two new clusters have emerged. One at a dormitory at 15 Kaki Bukit Road 4 and another at a dormitory at 31 Kranji Crescent.
There were no new Singaporean or permanent resident patients.
The last time this happened was on Feb 23.
A total of 18,285 patients or 55 per cent of the 33,249 Covid-19 patients here have fully recovered from the disease.
Meanwhile, 510 remain in hospital, including seven in the intensive care unit.
A total of 14,422 are in community facilities.
The average number of new daily community cases has dropped, from six two weeks ago to five in the past week.
The number of unlinked community cases has remained stable at two per day for the last two weeks.
Of the new cases, 99 per cent are linked to known clusters. Contact tracing is ongoing for the rest.
Twenty-three people have died from Covid-19 complications in Singapore, while nine who tested positive have died from other causes.
Globally, the outbreak, which began last December, has infected more than 5.8 million people. About 359,000 have died.
By the numbers
373
New cases
1
New cases in community
33,249
Total cases
1,018
Discharged yesterday
23
Deaths
18,285
Total recovered
510
Total in hospital
7
In intensive care unit