Singapore records nearly 13,000 Covid-19 cases a week

On May 21, the Singapore Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) announced that the health system recorded 12,700 cases of Covid-19 in the week from May 10 to May 16, a record increase compared to 8,000 cases in the previous week. This increase pushed the average number of patients hospitalized each day from 56 to 73. However, public hospitals still have enough capacity to receive patients, while controlling and maintaining the treatment rate in the intensive care unit at one case per day.

Community immunity deficiency is the main cause of this outbreak. Analysis of medical data shows that the NB.1.8.1 virus strain is dominant, present in more than half of the patients whose genes have been sequenced by scientists. However, CDA affirmed that there is no sign that the new variant spreads faster or causes more severe symptoms than before. This agency assesses the outbreak to be cyclical, with similar developments to other locally endemic respiratory diseases.

To respond to the new wave of epidemics, CDA urges people aged 60 and older and patients with underlying medical conditions from 6 months of age to immediately get the latest vaccines. Health authorities also recommend that health workers and people living with vulnerable groups proactively get vaccinated, because current vaccines are still very effective against the new variant. People 6 months of age and older can register for vaccination depending on their individual needs.

Health officials ask people to voluntarily raise awareness of protecting their own health and that of the community. Accordingly, each individual needs to maintain cleanliness, postpone unnecessary trips when the body is tired, limit contact with people and always wear a mask as soon as symptoms appear.