Covid is on the rise in Singapore, and the mask-in-public advice is back. The anticipated number of Covid-19 cases in Singapore increased to 56,043 during the first week of this month, specifically from December 3 to December 9.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) in Singapore encouraged travelers to take preventative measures such wearing masks at airports and avoiding busy, poorly ventilated areas in light of the recent spike in coronavirus cases. The MOH also advocated mask usage in crowded settings, especially indoors.
The health ministry stated in a briefing on December 15, 2023, that the number of Covid cases increased to 56,043 during the week of December 3–9, 2023, from 32,035 the previous week.
The average number of Covid hospital admissions per day jumped to 350 from 225 the week prior, and the average number of cases in the intensive care unit (ICU) per day increased to nine from four the week prior.
According to the Singaporean authorities, JN.1, a sublineage of BA.2.86, is the predominant strain responsible for these infections. It stated, “There is currently no clear indication that BA.2.86 or JN.1 are more transmissible or cause more severe disease than other circulating variants based on the available international and local data.”
Of response to the increase of Covid cases, Singapore took more steps to protect its healthcare capacity. Among them are:
- Public hospitals and the health ministry are working together to prepare for emergencies. This entails increasing personnel and postponing elective surgeries that are not necessary. To improve patient care, step-down institutions like Transitional Care institutions and alternative care models like Mobile Inpatient Care@Home are being used.
- The health ministry inaugurated the second Covid-19 Treatment Facility (CTF) at Singapore EXPO Hall 10 in anticipation of rising demand.
- The general population has been advised to wear masks, limit social interactions, stay home if they are experiencing symptoms of an acute respiratory infection, and keep away from busy areas. Additionally, the health ministry promoted the use of masks in airports and busy areas.
- The health ministry also emphasized the value of immunization and how well it works to stave off serious disease.The Singapore Health Ministry declared that daily updates on Covid-19 case statistics will be available on its website as of December 19, 2023.
