SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Health (MOH) announced on Monday (Mar 9) that all short-term visit pass (STVP) holders have been required to pay for their own COVID-19 treatment in Singapore since Saturday (Mar 7), as the ministry focuses on “prioritising resources in public hospitals”.
As the COVID-19 outbreak has spread to 112 countries and territories all over the world, the number of confirmed cases has risen to more than 114,000, with more than 4,000 fatalities.
In Singapore, 10 new cases of infection reported on Monday (Mar 9) have brought the nationwide total to 160 confirmed cases. In order to prepare for the “expected rise” in cases, the health ministry has declared that it needs to “prioritise the resources” in Singapore’s public hospitals.
Beginning March 7, all foreigners who are short-term visit pass (STVP) holders who seek treatment for COVID-19 in Singapore will need to shell out for their own treatment, though MOH will continue to shoulder their COVID-19 testing fees.
This is one of the public health measures MOH has put in place in order to “identify and initiate contact tracing” for confirmed cases who may have been infectious while in Singapore.
For Singaporean residents and long-term pass holders, COVID-19 testing fees and treatments in public hospitals will be free—the government will foot the bill.
Of the 10 new patients confirmed by MOH, one is linked to the Life Church and Missions Singapore cluster, three are foreign and six are linked to the Joy Garden dinner which took place on Feb 15 at Safra Jurong. The Safra Jurong cluster, which has 36 cases linked to it, is now the biggest cluster in Singapore.
Case 151 is a 51-year-old Singaporean man with no recent travel history to affected areas. He is connected to cases 66 and 91 and is linked to the cluster at The Life Church and Missions Singapore. He recovered from the infection in Feb and is staying at Yishun Ring Road.
Case 152 is a 65-year-old Indonesian man who arrived in Singapore on March 7. He is currently warded in isolation at Singapore General Hospital (SGH).
Case 153 is a 65-year-old Singaporean woman who travelled in Indonesia from Feb 25 to Feb 28. She is currently warded in isolation at SGH. Prior to being admitted, she had stayed at her home at Jalan Teck Whye.
Case 154 is a 52-year-old British man who arrived in Singapore on March 6. He is currently warded in isolation at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).
Case 155 is a 47-year-old Malaysian woman who is a Singapore Work Pass holder. She has no recent travel history to affected areas. She is linked to Case 128 and to the Safra Jurong cluster. She is currently warded in isolation at NCID.
Case 156 is a 50-year-old Singaporean woman with no recent travel history to affected areas. She is linked to the Safra Jurong cluster and is currently warded in isolation at NCID.
Case 157 is a 54-year-old Singaporean woman with no recent travel history to affected areas. She is a contact of Case 137 and is linked to the Safra Jurong cluster. She is currently warded in isolation at NCID.
Case 158 is a 53-year-old Singaporean woman with no recent travel history to affected areas. She is linked to the Safra Jurong cluster and is currently warded in isolation at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH).
Case 159 is a 59-year-old Singaporean man with no recent travel history to affected areas. He is linked to the Safra Jurong cluster and is currently warded in isolation at NTFGH.
Case 160 is a five-year-old Singaporean with no recent travel history to affected areas. He is a relative of Case 145 and is linked to the Safra Jurong cluster. He is currently warded in isolation at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
In their statement, MOH also announced that three additional patients have been discharged, bringing the total number of discharged cases to 93. /TISG