COVID-19 cases in Singapore cross 40,000

Singapore, Jun 13 () The total number of COVID-19 cases in Singapore surged past 40,000 on Saturday after 347 new infections were reported, including 345 foreign workers, the health ministry said.

Out of the new cases, two are Singapore citizens or foreigners with permanent resident status, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said.

The 345 foreign workers include three staying outside the dormitories, while the rest foreigners holding work permits are living in dorms.

With these new cases, the total number of coronavirus infections has risen to 40,197 since the disease tracing began in January 2020.

The MOH on Thursday said a man who died earlier this week from heart disease had COVID-19.

Meanwhile, antiviral drug Remdesivir has been granted conditional approval by the Health Sciences Authority to be administered to COVID-19 patients in Singapore who are severely ill, Channel News Asia reported.

The drug, which was first created to treat Ebola, has been used as part of clinical trials in Singapore for COVID-19 patients.

Doctors can now use the vaccine to treat adult COVID-19 patients who require supplemental oxygen or more intensive breathing support, such as the use of ventilators or life support machines, according to the Channel report.

Patients who have oxygen saturation levels of 94 per cent or less can also be given the antiviral drug, it added.

As of Friday, Singapore had 237 COVID-19 cases undergoing treatment in various hospitals, including two in critical condition, while 11,546 are lodged in community facilities for mild symptoms or observation.

Twenty-five people have died due to COVID-19 related complications in the country.