Singapore has reported 41 new cases of the coronavirus, taking the total number of infections in the nation to 61,730, according to media reports.
Mandatory testing across the island-nation for COVID-19 is being increased as new and unlinked infections rise in the local community, posing a threat to its virus containment strategy.
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the city-state cannot afford to slacken in its effort to keep COVID-19 in check as the virus will rear its head in new and unimaginable ways.
''Each time you think you have got the COVID-19 situation under control, and you know how to respond to it, it pops up in a new direction,'' said Lee.
Singapore also reported the death of a 70-year-old person in the last 24 hours due to coronavirus, The Strait Times reported.
“A 70-year-old Singaporean man has died from complications due to COVID-19 infection on Thursday, while 41 new infection cases were reported, including 27 infections in the community (local),” the report said, citing a statement issued by the Ministry of Health (MoH) released yesterday.
The MOH said the deceased was linked to the Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) cluster, one of the centres of emerging coronavirus cases.
“This is the second COVID-19 death reported in May. As of Thursday, Singapore's COVID-19 death toll stands at 32, with the total number of cases at 61,730,” the report said.
Twenty-one of the new community infections reported yesterday are linked to previous cases, while six are currently unlinked, said the MOH.
Among them, 15 cases had already been placed on quarantine earlier. Six of the community cases involve students.
There were also 14 imported cases who have already been placed on stay-home notice upon arrival in Singapore.
Seven Singaporeans and three permanent residents returned from India and Indonesia while two dependent's pass holders arrived from Germany and Sri Lanka. Two more are work pass holders and arrived from Nepal and the Philippines.