Singapore is witnessing a new COVID-19 wave as authorities recorded more than 25,900 cases from May 5 to 11, even as Health Minister Ong Ye Kung again on Saturday Advised to wear mask.
“We are in the early part of the wave where it is continuing to grow,” Sai Ong said. "So, I would say the wave should peak in the next two to four weeks, which means between mid and late June," the Straits Times newspaper quoted the minister as saying.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) said the estimated number of COVID-19 cases rose to 25,900 in the week of May 5 to 11, compared to 13,700 in the previous week.
Average daily COVID-19 hospitalizations have increased to about 250, up from 181 previously.Average daily intensive care unit (ICU) cases remained low at three cases, compared to two cases last week.
To protect hospital bed capacity, MOH said it asked public hospitals to reduce their non-urgent elective surgery cases and transport appropriate patients to transitional care facilities or back home through mobile inpatient care@home. which is an alternative inpatient care delivery model. Clinically appropriate patients have the option of being hospitalized in their own homes rather than in a hospital ward.
Ong urged those who are most at risk of severe disease, including individuals aged 60 and older, medically vulnerable individuals and residents of aged care facilities, to get vaccinated if they have not done so in the past. Should receive an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine. 12 months.Ong said that if the number of COVID-19 cases doubles once, there will be 500 patients that Singapore's health care system can handle. However, if the number of cases doubles for the second time, there will be 1,00 patients. , and "it would be quite a burden on the hospital system", he pointed out.
"A thousand beds is equivalent to a regional hospital," Ong said. “So, imagine that the healthcare system will have to prepare itself for what is to come.,
There are currently no plans to impose any form of social restrictions or any other mandatory measures, as COVID-19 is treated as an endemic disease in Singapore, he said, adding that implementing additional measures would be a There will be a solution.
Ong said that with Singapore being a transportation and communications hub, it would be one of the cities to get the wave of COVID-19 earlier than others.
“So, COVID-19 is something we have to live with. Every year, we should expect one or two waves,'' he said.
Globally, the dominant COVID-19 variants are still JN.1 and its sub-lineages including KP.1 and KP.2.Currently, KP.1 and KP.2 account for more than two-thirds of cases in Singapore.
As of 3 May, the World Health Organization has classified KP.2 as a variant under surveillance. There is currently no indication globally or locally that KP.1 and KP.2 are more infectious than other circulating variants or cause more severe disease, MOH said.
However, members of the public are urged to keep up to date with vaccinations to protect themselves against current and emerging virus strains. MOH said that to date, about 80 percent of the local population has completed their initial or additional doses, but they have not received any doses within the past year.The ministry said that since COVID-19 vaccination began in 2020 and 2021, the vaccines have consistently proven to be safe and effective in protecting individuals from severe disease. It said billions of doses have been administered globally and international safety monitoring has shown the vaccine is safe.
The ministry said there are no long-term safety concerns with COVID-19 vaccination, adding that adverse effects of vaccines, including mRNA vaccines, have been observed soon after vaccination.
“We are in the early part of the wave where it is continuing to grow,” Sai Ong said. "So, I would say the wave should peak in the next two to four weeks, which means between mid and late June," the Straits Times newspaper quoted the minister as saying.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) said the estimated number of COVID-19 cases rose to 25,900 in the week of May 5 to 11, compared to 13,700 in the previous week.
Average daily COVID-19 hospitalizations have increased to about 250, up from 181 previously.Average daily intensive care unit (ICU) cases remained low at three cases, compared to two cases last week.
To protect hospital bed capacity, MOH said it asked public hospitals to reduce their non-urgent elective surgery cases and transport appropriate patients to transitional care facilities or back home through mobile inpatient care@home. which is an alternative inpatient care delivery model. Clinically appropriate patients have the option of being hospitalized in their own homes rather than in a hospital ward.
Ong urged those who are most at risk of severe disease, including individuals aged 60 and older, medically vulnerable individuals and residents of aged care facilities, to get vaccinated if they have not done so in the past. Should receive an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine. 12 months.Ong said that if the number of COVID-19 cases doubles once, there will be 500 patients that Singapore's health care system can handle. However, if the number of cases doubles for the second time, there will be 1,00 patients. , and "it would be quite a burden on the hospital system", he pointed out.
"A thousand beds is equivalent to a regional hospital," Ong said. “So, imagine that the healthcare system will have to prepare itself for what is to come.,
There are currently no plans to impose any form of social restrictions or any other mandatory measures, as COVID-19 is treated as an endemic disease in Singapore, he said, adding that implementing additional measures would be a There will be a solution.
Ong said that with Singapore being a transportation and communications hub, it would be one of the cities to get the wave of COVID-19 earlier than others.
“So, COVID-19 is something we have to live with. Every year, we should expect one or two waves,'' he said.
Globally, the dominant COVID-19 variants are still JN.1 and its sub-lineages including KP.1 and KP.2.Currently, KP.1 and KP.2 account for more than two-thirds of cases in Singapore.
As of 3 May, the World Health Organization has classified KP.2 as a variant under surveillance. There is currently no indication globally or locally that KP.1 and KP.2 are more infectious than other circulating variants or cause more severe disease, MOH said.
However, members of the public are urged to keep up to date with vaccinations to protect themselves against current and emerging virus strains. MOH said that to date, about 80 percent of the local population has completed their initial or additional doses, but they have not received any doses within the past year.The ministry said that since COVID-19 vaccination began in 2020 and 2021, the vaccines have consistently proven to be safe and effective in protecting individuals from severe disease. It said billions of doses have been administered globally and international safety monitoring has shown the vaccine is safe.
The ministry said there are no long-term safety concerns with COVID-19 vaccination, adding that adverse effects of vaccines, including mRNA vaccines, have been observed soon after vaccination.
