Singapore reports first COVID deaths

Saturday, 21 March 2020 10:31 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore reported two coronavirus-related deaths on Saturday of people with underlying health conditions, marking the first fatalities in the city-state’s widely praised battle against the infection.

The health ministry said a 75-year-old Singaporean woman and a 64-year-old Indonesian man died on Saturday morning.

Singapore has confirmed 385 cases of the infection and had so far managed to avoid any fatalities since the outbreak began in the city-state in late January.

"I know Singaporeans will be worried and anxious. But we must take courage and not give into our fears,” Gan Kim Yong, Singapore’s health minister, told reporters.

As of Friday, 131 cases of Singapore’s total had fully recovered from the infection.