Singapore reports record jump in

coronavirus cases
AFP Newsyesterday

Singapore thought it had its coronavirus epidemic under control, but new cases
among migrant workers who live in dormitories have spiralled

Singapore reported a record daily jump of more than 1,400

coronavirus cases Monday, taking its total to over 8,000, with
almost all new infections linked to dormitories housing foreign
labourers.

The city-state was initially successful in keeping its outbreak in

check with a strict regime of testing and contact-tracing, but is
now facing a fast-moving second wave.

Health authorities in the financial hub, which now has the highest
number of infections in Southeast Asia, reported 1,426 new
cases, taking its total to 8,014, including 11 deaths.

Cases have surged since authorities started carrying out

widespread testing of foreign workers living in crowded dormitory
complexes, many of whom are construction workers from South
Asia.

Around 200,000 workers live in dorms and typically toil for long
hours earning in the region of $400 to $500 a month building the
city-state's glittering skyscrapers and shopping malls.

Following criticism of poor living conditions in the dorms, the

government moved thousands of workers to other sites --
including apartments and floating accommodation usually used in
offshore industries -- to try to lessen the chances of infection.

Several dormitories with serious outbreaks have been

quarantined, with workers not allowed to leave the premises for
two weeks. The government is providing meals, and cleaning
services have been ramped up.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the weekend warned that the
number of foreign workers found to have contracted COVID-19,
the disease caused by the virus, is likely to rise further as more
are tested.

"Fortunately, the vast majority of the cases are mild because the
workers are young," Lee wrote on Facebook.

While the government is working to stop transmission in the

dorms "it will take some time to show results, so we must expect
to see more dorm cases for while longer", he said.

The city-state this month introduced tough restrictions aimed at

halting the spread of the virus, including closing schools and
advising people to stay at home.

Since then, the number of new infections reported among

Singaporeans has slowed -- only 16 of the cases reported Monday
were citizens or people holding permanent residency status.