Covid-19 Community Cases Surge, MOH Says 45% Were New Omicron Variants
Justifying a sharp rise in Covid-19 infections, MOH had earlier shared that the new Omicron variants, BA.4 and BA.5, had accounted for 30% of community cases over the past weeks.
S’pore Reports 7,109 Covid-19 Cases On 21 Jun, Increase Mostly Due To New Omicron Subvariants
That proportion of cases, however, has since increased.
In a press release on Monday (27 Jun), MOH shared that 45% of community cases over the past week were due to the new subvariants.
While MOH is not making any changes to safe management measures right now, they stress the need for masks indoors.
Omicron variants contribute to 45% of cases in the past week
On Monday (27 Jun), MOH shared that 45% of Covid-19 community cases in the past seven days were those of BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants.
This is about a 33% increase from the weeks before, during which 30% of community cases were of the new strains.
Nonetheless, MOH assures that international, as well as local data, show that the subvariants do not result in more severe outcomes in comparison with previous Omicron strains.
Hospitals prepared to cope
MOH also shared that with our population’s high vaccination rates, the number of severe Covid-19 infections has remained manageable.
However, in the past month, Singapore has seen an increase in hospitalised patients, almost in tandem with our daily Covid-19 case tallies.
Source: Ministry of Health
As of Tuesday (27 Jun), there are 420 Covid-19 patients hospitalised with 26 requiring oxygen supplementation and 9 in intensive care units (ICUs).
Despite this, MOH said that Singapore’s hospitals and Covid-19 treatment facilities are prepared to cope with the projected rise in cases.
The health ministry added that they also have contingency plans to ramp up our healthcare capacity quickly if needed.
Masks indoors remain a key line of defence
While MOH said there will be no changes to our suite of safe management measures (SMM) at this point, they stressed that masks will still be required indoors as a “key line of defence”.
The prevailing vaccination-differentiated safe management measures for high-risk activities will also remain.
However, the ministry said they do not rule out the need to tighten SMMs. They are monitoring the situation closely and will do so if there’s a need to.
Abide by safety measures
The world, including Singapore, is facing yet another surge in Covid-19 cases.
But this time, the authorities and hopefully all Singapore residents, are more prepared and better equipped to deal with the situation.
We hope everyone will not take our current freedoms for granted and will continue to abide by the current safety measures in place.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image by MS News.
