13 COVID-19 Cases Today (23 Mar); All Are Imported Cases

It has been 11 straight days whereby Singapore reported no community case.

As of 12pm today (23 March), the Ministry of Health (MOH) has preliminarily confirmed 13 new cases of COVID-19 infection.

All of them are imported cases.

This brings the total number of cases in Singapore to 60,221.

Based on yesterday’s figures, the number of new cases in the community has decreased from 2 cases in the week before to none in the past week. The number of unlinked cases in the community has also decreased from 2 cases in the week before to none in the past week.

COVID-19 RNA Found in NUS Hostel Wastewater; Residents to Undergo Swab Tests

Yesterday (22 March),  staff and students of a National University of Singapore (NUS) hostel were informed that low levels of COVID-19 viral ribonucleic acid (RNA) had been detected in the wastewater of the block.

According to The Straits Times, the samples taken were from an inspection chamber connected to the bathrooms of UTown Residence North Tower.

All residents of the hostel block will need to be swabbed. The director of the NUS’s office of safety, Dr Peck Thian Guan, noted that swabbing stations will be set up at UTown Residence today (23 Mar).

The Ministry of Health (MOH) requires all residents in the apartments to undergo the swab test as a precautionary measure.

Affected residents were also told to isolate themselves and minimise physical contact with others till the swab test results come back negative.

The rest of the school are not to go near the block, swabbing stations, and its vicinity.

Students and staff should also continue to monitor their health by declaring their temperature through uNivUS and complying with current safe distancing measures.

127 Active Cases

There are currently 21 confirmed cases who are still in hospital. Of these, most are stable or improving, and none is in the intensive care unit.

106 are isolated and cared for at community facilities. These are those who have mild symptoms, or are clinically well but still test positive for COVID-19.

30 have passed away from complications due to COVID-19 infection.

Featured Image: Rajaraman Arumugam / Shutterstock.com (Image is for illustration purpose only)