COVID is Back - Singapore Sees Surge in Cases
The singapore government is closely watching a fresh increase in COVID-19 infections, with the predicted weekly case count nearly doubling in the week ended May 11. On Saturday, health minister Ong Ye Kung encouraged people to wear masks again. The singapore Ministry of health announced that the government was closely monitoring the course of the new wave. According to the government, the projected number of COVID-19 cases nearly quadrupled from 13,700 the previous week to 25,900 between May 5 and May 11.
According to the government, the average daily number of Covid-19 hospitalizations climbed from 181 to almost 250 within the same period. To keep hospital beds available, public hospitals have been urged to limit non-urgent elective surgery and transfer eligible patients to care facilities. "We are at the beginning of the wave, which is steadily rising," health minister Ong Ye Kung remarked, according to the Straits Times.
He said, "The wave should peak in the next two to four weeks, which means between mid- and end-June."
Ong further urged those at the highest risk of disease—those aged 60 and up, medically vulnerable people, and residents of nursing homes—to obtain an additional dose of the COVID-19 vaccination if they had not been vaccinated in the previous 12 months.
Speaking of social constraints Ong stated that there are currently no preparations for any type of social restrictions because Covid-19 is considered an endemic condition in Singapore. The minister also stated that implementing more measures would be a last resort.
He said, "The wave should peak in the next two to four weeks, which means between mid- and end-June."
Ong further urged those at the highest risk of disease—those aged 60 and up, medically vulnerable people, and residents of nursing homes—to obtain an additional dose of the COVID-19 vaccination if they had not been vaccinated in the previous 12 months.
Speaking of social constraints Ong stated that there are currently no preparations for any type of social restrictions because Covid-19 is considered an endemic condition in Singapore. The minister also stated that implementing more measures would be a last resort.
Ong did, however, acknowledge that singapore, as a transit and communications centre, will be one of the places to suffer a wave of Covid-19 earlier than others. "So Covid-19 is simply something we have to deal with. Every year, we may expect one or two waves," he added.