A thermal scanner installed at Changi Airport of Singapore checks passenger's body temperature (Photo: AFP/VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Singapore has begun to charge foreigners infected with coronavirus for treatment after recording three new imported cases.
In its statement, the country’s Ministry of Health said foreigners who are short-term visit pass holders seeking treatment for COVID-19 in Singapore will need to pay for their treatment. However, testing for the novel coronavirus that causes the disease remains free.
It noted: “In view of the rising number of COVID-19 infections globally, and the expected rise in the number of confirmed cases in Singapore, we will need to prioritise the resources at public hospitals.”
Treatment of severe respiratory infections in public hospitals of Singapore costs between 6,000 – 8,000 SGD (4,300 – 5,800 USD), according to the ministry’s website.
The new policy came into force on March 7, when local authorities announced two Indonesians with COVID-19 symptoms arrived in Singapore. Earlier, they had reported symptoms in Indonesia, and one of them had sought check-up at a hospital in Jakarta.
Another case is a Singaporean citizen who visited a relative who had pneumonia in Indonesia.
So far, Singapore has confirmed 160 cases of COVID-19 infection. Of those, 33 were infected with the virus in other countries, including 24 cases from China, three from Indonesia, and some others from Italy, the UK, France and Germany./.
VNA
