Migrant workers, who have been largely confined to dormitories and workplaces since infections were discovered earlier this year, are gradually being given more freedom.
Photographer: Roslan Rahman / AFP / Getty Images
Photographer: Roslan Rahman / AFP / Getty Images
Serological testing has found that nearly half of the 323,000 migrant workers living in Singapore’s dormitories were infected with Covid-19, much higher than the official count and indicating that the virus is spreading widely among people who may not have symptoms .
The city-state has reported more than 54,500 infections in dormitories since the start of the pandemic, accounting for more than 93% of all confirmed cases. Another 98,289 workers were found positive by serological tests – identifying those infected in the past – contributing to an overall prevalence of 47%, according to a statement from the Manpower Department on Monday.
The finding is further evidence that the Covid-19 infection is massive under-detected across the board, and reflects the prevalence of the virus in tight workspaces. In neighboring Malaysia, which supplies about two-thirds of the world’s latex gloves, the government last month imposed mandatory Covid-19 screening for the country’s 1.7 million foreign workers.
For every Covid-19 infection in the dormitories detected during the polymerase chain reaction test, “an additional 1.8 cases were untested and undetected at that time, and were subsequently identified by serological testing alone,” the statement said. “This is not surprising, as many migrant workers had no symptoms and thus would not have sought treatment and had not undergone a PCR test.”
Migrant workers, who have been largely confined to dormitories and workplaces since infections were discovered earlier this year, are gradually being given more freedom. At the height of the April outbreak, more than 1,000 new cases were detected every day in those accommodations. Since then, strict lockdown measures followed by an aggressive testing regime have brought those numbers to zero or close.
Singapore recently announced that it would initiate a pilot program early next year to allow migrant workers in some dormitories to access the community once a month, subject to compliance with testing requirements and wearing contact tracking equipment. The decision follows another in October allows some migrant workers to visit recreation centers.
– With the help of Ravil Shirodkar