Nearly two months after reporting its first novel coronavirus case, Singapore confirmed its first two deaths due to the virus on Saturday (March 21).
The Singaporean Ministry of Health (MOH) said those who died were a 75-year-old female Singaporean and a 64-year-old male Indonesian. Both of them “passed away from complications due to COVID-19 infection,” said the MOH.
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong sent his condolences to the loved ones of the two who died.
“As we get more COVID-19 cases, more patients will need ICU care, and we must brace ourselves for more losses,” Lee said.
“The government is doing all we can to slow the spread of the virus, but everyone needs to support and comply with the measures we have put in place. We must work together to keep ourselves, our families, and Singapore safe,” the Prime Minister added.
The MOH said the Singaporean female “had a history of chronic heart disease and hypertension,” while the Indonesian male “had a history of heart disease.”