Singapore reports 12 new coronavirus cases

Singapore confirmed 12 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, including eight persons who tested positive after coming from abroad, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases in the island-nation to 178.

Among the new cases, three are Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) servicemen who were stationed in France, according to media reports.

The other five infected patients recently travelled to the Philippines, Japan, France, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The latest confirmed cases bring Singapore's total coronavirus-hit people to 178.

Most of the 82 patients remaining in hospital are in stable condition, but nine are in critical condition admitted in intensive care units, said the Health Ministry.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat on Wednesday warned that the COVID-19 situation and its impact on the economy could get worse.

Ensuring that Singapore focuses on overcoming the challenges is a major factor in deciding when to hold the next general election, Keat said.

"If you have big challenges ahead, then surely you want to be able to spend time on these challenges. Therefore, the key question is, will the challenges be greater now or will the challenges be greater a year from now?" the Straits Times quoted Heng as saying.

The General Election is due in April 2021 but on occasions it has been held earlier.

"So, it depends on our assessment of the situation and I'm discussing (this) with the PM (Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong). The PM will set out his thinking," said Heng, who is also the Finance Minister.

Heng also assured that the government's foremost priority is to prevent retrenchments amid the economic uncertainty, both for the sake of workers and companies in the long run.

Laying off workers at the slightest sign of problems will create longer-term issues for the companies too as these workers take with them experience and know-how, he added.

He also informed that the government is looking at specific measures to help workers who are retrenched over this period of economic uncertainty.