Coronavirus: Bangladeshi expat out of ICU after 2 months in Singapore

Singapore's 42nd Covid-19 patient, a 39-year-old Bangladeshi construction worker, has been transferred to a general ward after being in intensive care for over two months, The Strait Times reports.

The Migrant Workers' Centre (MWC) - non-government organization working on migrants workers - said in a Facebook post on Thursday that the man has been taken off the ventilator and is no longer sedated.

"He is able to breathe on his own and will require speech therapy moving forward as part of his recovery process," the NGO said.

The man had first reported symptoms on February 1 and was hospitalized at Changi General Hospital (CGH) on February 7. He tested positive the next day.

Along with four other Bangladeshi expats, the man was among the first foreign workers in Singapore to test positive for the coronavirus. They were linked to a cluster in Seletar Aerospace Heights where they were working to expand aerospace manufacturer Bombardier Aviation's facilities.

By March 7, the other four workers had all recovered and been discharged.

Case 42 has spent the second-longest period of time in the hospital aside from a 64-year-old Singaporean man who was hospitalized one day earlier.

The Bangladesh High Commission had earlier said that the worker suffered from respiratory and kidney problems, as well as pneumonia, before he was infected with the virus.

While he was unconscious, his wife back home gave birth to a baby boy on March 30.

The MWC said in its post on Thursday that it has tracked the man's case closely and grown close to both the worker's family and his employer.

"We have spoken with the family and the employer regarding this very encouraging and happy development and can report that all concerned are overjoyed.

"On behalf of the family and the employer the MWC would like to thank all well-wishers and benefactors for their prayers and contributions during the worker's time in hospital.

"In particular, we are inspired by Case #42's fighting spirit throughout this lengthy ordeal and thank him for prevailing and getting better."