SINGAPORE, 2 May 2020:
Two cruise ships – the SuperStar Gemini and the SuperStar Aquarius – are ready to be used as temporary accommodation for foreign workers who have recovered from Covid-19 in Singapore.
In its Facebook update yesterday, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said the SuperStar Gemini has started receiving foreign workers who have recovered from the virus.
“After passing a thorough assessment by various agencies, the first few workers boarded the ship on April 29 from Marina Bay Cruise Centre, which is now equipped with sick bays and an isolation station.”
The STB said some features on board will help keep the workers safe and healthy – such as fresh air piped into the ship and no air will be re-circulated between cabins and common areas; plus en suite toilets and in-cabin dining.
“These are part of the government’s efforts to transfer workers to alternative living areas to reduce the spread of the virus within their dormitories.”
The STB said a second ship, the SuperStar Aquarius, has also passed the assessment by authorities and is ready to receive foreign workers.
On April 17, the STB said the government was studying the feasibility of using the two mid-sized cruise ships as temporary accommodation for the workers.
The two cruise ships now complement other interim facilities such as Singapore Armed Forces military camps and vacant Housing & Development Board blocks.
Both ships may accommodate up to 2,000 foreign workers.
As of noon yesterday, Singapore’s Ministry of Health had confirmed and verified an additional 932 cases of Covid-19 infection in Singapore. The breakdown is as follows:
- Imported cases: 0
- Cases in the community: 11 (5 Singaporeans/Permanent Residents, 6 Work Passes)
- Work Permit holders (residing outside dormitories): 16
- Work Permit holders (residing in dormitories): 905
Of the new cases, 70% are linked to known clusters, while the rest are pending contact tracing while 24 more cases of Covid-19 infection have been discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities. In all, 1,268 have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities.
There are currently 1,764 confirmed cases who are still in hospital. Of these, most are stable or improving, and 23 are in critical condition in the intensive care unit.
The overall tally stands at 17,101 cases and 16 deaths for Covid-19 in Singapore.
– Bernama
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