SINGAPORE – Covid-19 infections and hospitalisations are on the rise, putting pressure on hospitals here.
The Ministry of Health, which sounded the alarm, also assured the population that the numbers are not as high as those of the pandemic and that circulating variants are not known to cause more severe disease.
In the week ending Dec. 2, 32,035 people were diagnosed with Covid-19, the highest number of infections recorded this year. The previous record was 28,410 infections compared to the week of March.
The latest figure is about 10,000 more than the 22,094 diagnosed last week. The number of weekly infections has hovered around 15,000 infections in the past two to three months.
There has also been an increase in the number of people hospitalized and requiring comprehensive care.
A report from the Ministry of Health on December 8 indicates that the average number of daily hospitalizations related to Covid-19 amounts to 225, up from 136 last week, and that the average daily number of cases in intensive care units (ICUs) is higher. to 4 cases, compared to one case last week.
It said: “This has added workload to our hospitals, which are already busy.”
Nine people severely ill with Covid-19 were admitted to a hospital ICU In the week of Nov 26 to Dec 2, up from four the previous week. But as hospitalisation and need for intensive care treatment usually lags behind infections, the numbers could go up in the coming weeks.
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This is what happened with the wave of Covid-19 in March and April of this year (2023), with the number of weekly ICU admissions for this infection reaching a maximum of 16, about 3 weeks after the peak of infections.
This wave led to 54 deaths from Covid-19 in April and March.
The ministry said the increase in cases “could be due to a number of factors, adding up to waning population immunity and increased travel and network interactions during end-of-year travel and the holiday season. “
He suggested the population stay up to date with their Covid-19 vaccinations, especially the elderly and those who are medically vulnerable. They want to show their social duty and stay home when they are sick. They also wear masks in crowded and poorly ventilated places. Places.
It also asks others to “seek medical care in a hospital emergency room only in the event of a serious or life-threatening emergency. “
This is to “preserve our hospital capacity for patients who do in fact want acute hospital care and allow those with serious illnesses to get timely treatment. “
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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.