486 new Covid-19 cases in S’pore, lower number ‘partly due’ to fewer tests processed at lab, reports MOH

11 May 2020 • 4:05 PM MYT
Malay Mail
Malay Mail

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Singapore’ Ministry of Health has confirmed 486 new cases of Covid-19. — TODAY file pic

SINGAPORE, May 11 — Singapore has confirmed 486 new cases of Covid-19 today.

This brings the total number of cases here to 23,822.

The vast majority of the new cases are work permit holders residing in foreign worker dormitories. Two cases are Singaporeans and permanent residents.

MOH said the lower number of cases is partially due to fewer tests being processed at a testing laboratory as it is recalibrating its apparatus for one of the test kits.

The ministry had earlier discovered that 33 cases from a laboratory were falsely recorded as positives due to an apparatus calibration issue for one of its test kits.

Subsequent re-testing confirmed these to be negative cases. There were also two results that had been ambiguous, and were subsequently verified to be negative upon retesting.

There were no false negative results discovered. The affected laboratory has since stopped all tests and is working to resolve the calibration issue.

“We are still working through the details of the cases, and further updates will be shared via the MOH press release that will be issued tonight,” MOH added. — TODAY