NE NEWS SERVICE
SINGAPORE, APRIL 14
Over 120 Indians are among a record 386 new COVID-19 cases reported in Singapore on Monday, taking the total number of coronavirus cases in the city-state to 2,918.
A 65-year-old man, a Singaporean, died from complications due to COVID-19 infections, said the Ministry of Health in its daily update. He tested positive for coronavirus on April 9.
The total number of deaths due to COVID-19 in Singapore now stands at nine.
Of the new cases, 280 are linked to existing clusters, with the vast majority of them being foreigners working in Singapore on work permits and living in dormitories.
Twenty-nine of the 1,158 hospitalised cases are in critical condition in the intensive care unit while rest are stable or improving.
Twenty-six people were discharged on Monday. In total, 586 people, who have fully recovered, have been discharged from hospitals or placed in community isolation facilities.
Meanwhile, 11 people who have recovered from COVID-19 have been recruited to donate blood for a novel treatment of coronavirus, said a director at Singapore’s National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).
NCID clinical director Dr Shawn Vasoo said the 11 were recruited from more than 100 patients who had recovered from COVID-19 and were screened.
If the 11 are assessed to be suitable, they will donate blood to be used in convalescent plasma therapy, which is “based on the principle that recovered patients have protective antibodies that may help against infection”, Channel News Asia quoted as saying Dr Vasoo.
The therapy involves removing blood cells from the blood, leaving behind the plasma, which will be used to treat patients with COVID-19 who may be critically ill.
It has been used for other infections, including influenza and SARS. However, it is still considered a novel and unproven therapy for COVID-19, as with the antiviral treatments that are being used (off-label, compassionate use or as part of a clinical trial).
“Careful evaluation with the managing clinician and consent from the patients’ relatives are needed before treatment is commenced,” said Dr Vasoo.
Meanwhile, 24 work pass holders have had their permits revoked and permanently barred from working in Singapore for breaking COVID-19 circuit breaker rules, said the Ministry of Manpower on Monday.
They were caught eating, drinking and gathering in groups in the vicinity of Tuas View Square, a factory-converted dormitory. Such facilities are industrial or warehouse developments which have been partially converted to dormitories.
