“We have a slight increase, but I think we are more or less seeing the peak of this wave,” Ong told local media at the elegant opening of a fitness campus in the Woodlands area of northern Singapore. He noted that at least six hundred to 700 hospital beds are occupied by COVID-19 patients, putting pressure on the medical system.
“We are a 10,000-bed system. Occupying 600 or 700 beds, that’s six to seven percent, which is not much. This represents a significant workload for our physical care staff and our system. However, I think our assessment is still. . . that we can deal with it without further control measures (SMM),” he added.
Experts say hospitalizations and the need for comprehensive care still lag behind infections, which have been on the rise for four weeks: from 10,726 infections in the week of Nov. 12-18 to 58,300 in the week of Dec. 10-16. However, Ong said the estimated number of infections had declined in recent days, indicating that “we have reached a plateau. “
Alex Cook, an Associate Professor of the National University of Singapore’s Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, said, “We have to remember that severe cases will typically peak after the mild cases peak, so even if the peak cases have already come, we may need to wait a while before the impact on the healthcare system starts to get better.”
He further said that just because the cases have come down does not necessarily imply that the wave of COVID-19 infections has peaked or is over. This comes after Ong encouraged Singaporeans to exercise personal responsibility by wearing a mask when sick and staying at home and continuing to be up to date with vaccinations.
NGOs under pressure that it is especially important for people who are older or have underlying medical conditions to get vaccinated once a year, as they are the most vulnerable to COVID-19. He said the Ministry of Health will address vaccine availability by expanding the number of general practitioners (GPs) administering COVID-19 vaccines and integrating them into the Healthier SG program.
The seven-day rolling average of the estimated number of COVID-19 cases in Singapore has declined in recent days, from 7,730 on Dec. 17 to 6,820 the next day and then to 6,530 cases on Dec. 19. Ong said many other people had asked him to reinstate the mask mandate, especially on public transport.
For this wave, “we can face it without further social distancing measures,” Singapore’s fitness minister said, though he asked everyone to wear a mask and stay home if sick. “If you have to come into contact with someone, wear a mask,” Ong said.
Citing the Ministry of Health, The Straits Times reported that the relevant ministry announced over the weekend the opening of a second COVID-19 treatment centre at the Singapore Expo Hall 10 to increase the number of beds for COVID-19 patients. Your doctors will make a decision about whether you deserve to be admitted.
A similar case was observed in Malaysia, which recorded 20,696 cases of COVID-19 between December 10 and 16. However, Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad announced on Monday that he had refuted speculation about a blockade called a movement control order (MCO).
“At the moment, the situation does not weigh on our fitness facilities. Don’t worry, but at the same time take precautionary measures,” the minister quoted the minister as saying to The Straits Times. “Keep your distance from each other, practice smart hygiene, wear masks indoors or in crowded spaces, and get booster shots, especially in high-risk categories,” he added.
(with input from agencies)
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