While Asian fitness officials are involved in the new variant of the XBB coronavirus, the recent surge in infections in Singapore isn’t noticeable as much of a concern, infectious disease experts said Wednesday (Oct. 12), even as the city-state hosts large-scale events as part of its reopening plan.
Singapore’s fitness ministry has also refuted online rumours that the new variant has led to a backlog of serious cases and deaths, initiating action under its fake news law.
This comes as Hong Kong detects its first case of XBB. 1 and a leading expert said it has the “greatest ability to evade vaccines among variants at this time. “
Dr. Gilman Siu Kit-hang, an associate professor in the Department of Health Technology and Informatics at Polytechnic University, said Wednesday it was difficult to wait whether XBB would be the dominant strain in Hong Kong, with citizens traveling under the new “0 Fix System 3. “
Meanwhile, fitness officials and infectious disease experts in Singapore have said the XBB. 1 strain is not yet a cause for concern. With reinfection rates of around 15%, Singapore’s fitness minister, Ong Ye Kung, said there could be a surge if that number reaches 50%.
The city-state reported 11,732 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, compared with 4,000 infections on Sunday and Monday. It is the first time daily cases have topped 10,000 in more than two months.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Health (MOH) also invoked Singapore’s Fake News Act to refute rumours that the new strain has led to a backlog of covid-19 cases and deaths.
These rumors, which have circulated through the Messaging platform WhatsApp, are false, the ministry said, Singapore is experiencing “a backlog of local instances caused through XBB, adding the post-weekend spike on Tuesday. “
Severe cases remain low, with 11 cases in the intensive care unit and 50 cases requiring supplemental oxygen, he said.
This is due to “the resilience of cumulative vaccination and past waves of infection,” the ministry said, adding that it would continue to closely monitor the trajectory.
On Wednesday night, the ministry announced that it will tighten regulations for visitors to hospitals and nursing homes for a period of 4 weeks. Until November 10, patients can only be visited through two pre-designated visitors. Only one of those visitors will be allowed at a time at the patient’s bedside.
Experts who spoke to This Week in Asia said that while cases have risen due to calm restrictions and F1’s busy weekend, with many events and activities taking place around the same time as the race, there is no need to sound the alarm at this time. .
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Dr Alex Cook, an associate professor at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at the National University of Singapore, said: “So far, there is no explanation for why to think the wave will be worse than the last two, whether it is incredibly mild. “As is to be expected in a highly vaccinated population that, to date, has already been more commonly already inflamed and therefore even more opposed to serious diseases.
Describing the scenario as “close to general life,” he said the existing number of XBB instances recommended the need to reimpose restrictions.
About 92% of Singapore’s other 5. 6 million people have received two doses of a covid-19 vaccine, according to the Ministry of Health’s website.
Dr Leong Hoe Nam, an infectious disease expert, said: “Immunity to covid only lasts one to three months, shorter if there is a new variant. We had a big spike three months ago and everyone is in a position to be reinfected. “
“But most Singaporeans are not worried. Unlike the mid-2022 threat, the hospital is still coping, making it a minor concern.
Having already “accepted this as a truth of life,” he added that citizens are “aware and prepared” for infections, as many have already become inflamed and have shown symptoms.
When asked if Hong Kong travelers were worried, Dr Cook said there was “nothing to worry about but worry about. “
“If I were a vaccinated Hong Kong coming to Singapore, I would be more worried about the threat of being quarantined when I return than about catching covid-19. “
This article was first published in the South China Morning Post.