COVID-19: Singapore confirms 657 new cases, tally exceeds 18,000-level

The Ministry of Health (MOH), in a statement, attributed the “vast majority” of the cases to foreign workers staying at dormitories.

With the new cases, the republic's tally now stands at 18,205.

"The number of cases amongst migrant workers has been fluctuating in recent days due to clearance of backlogged cases by one laboratory. MOH is working with the laboratory to stabilise its operations," it said.

The ministry said it is still working on the details of the cases and will provide an update later in the day.

In a detailed data released late Saturday, the MOH said as there have been no more cases linked to Hero’s bar at Circular Road and The Orange Ballroom at Geylang Road for the past two incubation periods, the clusters have now been closed.

The republic has also identified five new clusters on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the largest cluster, S11 Dormitory @ Punggol, has so far recorded 2,477 confirmed cases.

At Saturday’s tally of 17,548, Singapore classified 1,211 as community cases, 579 as imported cases, and 551 cases involving work permit holders not residing in dorms.

Foreign workers at dorms, meanwhile, dominated the tally at about 87 per cent or 15,207 cases.