Despite Stringent Lockdown Measures, Covid-19 Surges In Singapore With 447 New Cases In A Record Single Day Rise

New Covid-19 cases recorded another daily high on Wednesday (April 15), with the Ministry of Health in Singapore announcing 447 new cases of novel coronavirus, The Strait Times reported.

This total number of cases in Singapore surged to 3,699 as of noon on Wednesday. More than 652 infected with the potentially deadly virus staged recovery and were discharged from the hospital

Dormitories housing foreign migrant workers have emerged as major infection clusters . At least 404 of the 447 new cases are work permit holders residing in dormitories.

The S11 Dormitory @ Punggol, Singapore's largest cluster, added another 74 cases, bringing the total to 797.

Workers in about 20 dormitories have been affected by the virus outbreak in Singapore

Close to 80% of Singapore’s workforce is now working from home as the city-state enters its second week of “circuit-breaker” measures, including the closure of schools and most workplaces.

The rapid spread of the epidemic in dormitories has raised questions on the much-touted Singapore Model. Thousands of foreign are housed in these dormitories living in close proximity almost making it impossible to implement social distancing measures- one of the key strategies utilized around the world to contain the outbreak’s spread.

As part of measures to contain the spread of novel coronavirus, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had announced on Apr 3 a near total lockdown of the country except for essential services