Singapore Has Highest Number Of Virus Cases In Southeast Asia

About 3,000 cases have been reported in just the past three days in the country; Japanese medics warn more must be done to prevent the coronavirus from overwhelming the country’s healthcare system

Singapore reported a record 1,426 new coronavirus cases on Monday, mostly among foreign workers, pushing its total number of confirmed infections to 7,984.

The tiny city-state now has the highest number of cases in Southeast Asia, a massive increase from just 200 infections on March 15, when its outbreak appeared to be nearly under control. About 3,000 cases have been reported in just the past three days.

Low-wage migrant workers, a vital part of Singapore’s workforce, now account for at least 60% of its infections.

Meanwhile, Japanese medics warned more must be done to prevent the coronavirus from overwhelming the country’s healthcare system as confirmed cases passed 10,000, despite a nationwide state of emergency.

Experts have been alarmed by a recent spike in COVID-19 infections, with hundreds detected daily.

In Singapore, more than 200,000 workers from Bangladesh, India and other poorer Asian countries live in tightly packed dormitories. Clusters of infections have expanded rapidly in the dorms after they were overlooked in the government’s earlier health measures.