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SINGAPORE, December 16 – The Ministry of Health is urging the public to wear masks in crowded places, even if they are sick, as Covid-19 cases surpassed 56,000 last week.
It will also open a second Covid-19 treatment facility at the Singapore Expo Hall 10 in Changi this weekend, it announced in a press release.
Together with the existing facilities at Crawfurd Hospital along Adam Road, the two facilities will care for more than 80 Covid-19 patients who do not require extensive hospital care.
Starting December 19, MOH will be giving daily updates on Covid-19 cases on its website to provide the latest information during this period of surge in cases.
It publishes weekly updates on Covid-19 on its website.
As Covid-19 tests are no longer required here, it is expected that the number of reported Covid-19 cases does not represent the actual situation, the Ministry of Health said.
To derive a more accurate estimate of the number of Covid-19 cases domestically, MOH calculates the estimated number of infections, taking into account various factors.
These include the number of visits for acute respiratory infections in the polyclinics, the proportion of acute respiratory infection samples from the polyclinics that are positive for Covid-19 during the epidemiological week, and the percentage of national cases of acute respiratory infections observed in the polyclinics.
Surge of cases in December
The estimated number of Covid-19 cases in the week of Dec 3 to 9 rose to 56,043 cases, compared to 32,035 cases in the week before that.
The Ministry of Health reported that the average number of hospitalizations rose to 350 from 225 last week, and the average number of cases in intensive care units (ICUs) rose to nine cases from four cases previously.
These were inflamed with JN. 1, a sublineage of the Omicron BA. 2. 86 subvariant of the coronavirus.
JN. 1 now accounts for the vast majority of Covid-19 in Singapore.
Based on the available international and domestic data, there is no clear indication now that BA.2.86 or JN.1 are more transmissible or cause more severe disease than other circulating variants, MOH said.
To preserve Singapore’s healthcare capacity, the ministry has been working with public hospitals for contingency planning.
This includes ensuring adequate manpower and deferring of non-urgent electives (scheduled medical treatments or appointments) to maximise bed capacity for urgent cases in need of acute care.
In addition, hospitals have scaled-down services, such as transitional care services and choice care models, such as Mobile Inpatient Care@Home, where patients have the option of being cared for at home rather than in a hospital ward.
To preserve the hospital’s capacity for patients who truly need it, MOH urges the public to seek medical treatment at a hospital’s emergency department only for serious or life-threatening emergencies.
Mask-wearing and vaccinations
Besides encouraging mask-wearing in indoor settings, or when visiting or interacting with vulnerable persons, MOH is urging the public to exercise personal and social responsibility.
People with symptoms of acute respiratory infection deserve to stay home until symptoms appear and avoid contact with others, according to the statement.
“If they have to come into contact when they are not feeling well, they show their social duty by wearing a mask, minimizing their social interactions, and avoiding crowded places,” the text adds.
Travelers deserve to take proper precautions, such as wearing a mask at the airport, taking out insurance, and avoiding crowded and poorly ventilated areas.
“Vaccination is our defence against Covid-19 and remains effective in preventing serious disease,” the Ministry of Health said.
The ministry’s research showed that hospitalization rates were particularly lower among people who kept up with Covid-19 vaccines, with an additional dose obtained in the past year, than those who did not.
As population immunity wanes over time, the Ministry of Health urges everyone to keep their vaccinations up to date to maintain and maintain the country’s collective resilience against Covid-19.
The updated Pfizer-BioNTech-Comirnaty and Moderna-Spikevax XBB. 1. 5 Covid-19 vaccines continue to be available at joint testing and vaccination centers, involving public fitness clinics and selected polyclinics.
The Ministry of Health also recommends seniors aged 60 and over, other medically vulnerable people, and citizens of senior care facilities to get vaccinated up-to-date if it has been more than a year since their last dose.
All other people six months and older are encouraged to get the extra dose, especially gym workers and family members who are concerned about medically vulnerable individuals.
“Our society has weathered several infection waves and emerged more resilient each time, and we can similarly withstand this wave with everyone’s cooperation,” MOH said.
“We urge everyone to do their bit for themselves and their families, especially the elderly and medically vulnerable. “
More data on the nearest vaccination locations and types of vaccines will be available online.