Second wave of coronavirus wave threatens Singapore as country witnesses record infections

Another wave of coronavirus outbreak threatens Singapore as the country reported late on Thursday a record jump in the number of cases.

The Ministry of Health reported 728 new cases, the biggest rise on a daily basis, taking the toll number of infections to 4,427, including 10 deaths.  

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"The number of new cases amongst Work Permit holders residing in dormitories has increased significantly, in line with our continued efforts to actively test and isolate the infected workers," the ministry said. 

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It further said that around 90 per cent of the new cases were linked to people living in dorms and another 26 foreign workers living outside the facilities. 

Earlier, Singapore was the part of a smaller group of countries that have well-fought the coronavirus crisis with praises coming from the World Health Organization (WHO).

However, the virus is spreading rapidly from migrant workers, which form a major part of the country's workforce.

Around 200,000 workers, mostly from South Asia, live in 43 dorms across Singapore. 

A large part of this workforce is involved in construction activities and their poor living conditions in the dorms were sharply criticised, following which the government moved thousands of them in areas that are not densely populated to lessen the spread of infection. 

Earlier this month, veteran Singapore diplomat hit out at the government on Facebook describing it as a "the disgraceful way"  of treating foreign workers. 

It should be a "wake-up call to treat our indispensable foreign workers like a first world country should", he said.  

(With AFP, Reuters inputs)