68-year-old Indonesian dies of Covid-19, in fourth such death in Singapore

The Ministry of Health said that a patient died from complications due to Covid-19 infection on April 2, 2020. ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO

SINGAPORE - A 68-year-old Indonesian man died on Thursday (April 2) morning of Covid-19, Singapore's fourth death from the coronavirus.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) said that the patient died from complications due to Covid-19 infection on Thursday at 6.43am.

The Indonesian, who was Case 476, had a history of diabetes and hypertension.

The Singapore work pass holder, who had been in Indonesia from Jan 20 to March 16, was an imported case of Covid-19 infection.

He was admitted to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) on March 22 and was confirmed to have Covid-19 infection on the same day.

The man was cared for in the intensive care unit since March 26. He developed serious complications and eventually succumbed to the infection after seven days in the ICU, the MOH said.

The NCID is extending assistance to his family.

On Sunday, a 70-year-old Singaporean man, Mr Chung Ah Lay, died from Covid-19. He had a history of hypertension and hyperlipidaemia - or high cholesterol. He had no recent travel history to affected countries and regions.

Earlier, on March 21, a 75-year-old Singaporean woman and a 64-year-old Indonesian man died from the disease. The woman had a history of chronic heart disease and hypertension, while the man had a history of heart disease.

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On Wednesday night, the number of coronavirus cases hit 1,000 in Singapore, with the MOH announcing 74 new cases.

Among the new cases is a 102-year-old woman, the oldest Covid-19 patient to date in Singapore.

All in, 54 of the 74 cases on Wednesday are local cases and 20 are imported. Of the local cases, 29 are linked to previous cases and clusters while 25 are currently unlinked.

Five cases were discharged from hospitals and community isolation facilities, with the number of those recovered now at 245.

Of the 460 confirmed cases who are still in hospital, most are stable or improving. There are 23 patients in critical condition in intensive care.

There are also 291 cases who are clinically well and being isolated in private hospitals and the Community Isolation Facility at D'Resort NTUC because they still test positive.

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