Coronavirus latest: US warned about reopening too soon, Singapore cases hit new record
- Singapore is battling a new wave of infections among its migrant workers, and now has the highest number of Covid-19 cases in Southeast Asia
- Spain’s daily death toll has dropped below 400, while small shops opened in Germany as it eases restrictions
The total number of cases in Singapore now stands at 8,014, the highest in Southeast Asia.
The Ministry of Health said 1,369 of the cases, the “vast majority” of them, were work permit holders living in dormitories, while 18 new patients were Singapore citizens or residents. There were no imported cases.
Infections are expected to continue increasing as authorities continue mass testing of migrant workers. There are more than 320,000 migrant workers in Singapore doing jobs shunned by citizens, in industries such as construction, estate maintenance and engineering.
The hundreds of thousands of migrant workers living in cramped conditions have become the city state’s latest challenge in its battle against Covid-19, with this group making up some 76 per cent of its total infections.
Neighbouring Malaysia on Monday recorded 36 new Covid-19 cases, the lowest daily number since its partial national lockdown began on March 18. The country has reported 5,425 infections with 2,041 active cases. The health ministry also announced 98 recoveries, bringing the total to 3,295, a recovery rate 60.7 per cent. No deaths were recorded on Monday.
