The number of coronavirus cases in Singapore reached an all-time high in the first week of December, prompting the Ministry of Health (MOH) to issue a statement “strongly encouraging” people to wear masks.
Between December 3 and 9, the number of COVID-19 cases increased by 75% to 56,043, exceeding the previous week’s total of 32,035.
The average daily hospitalizations increased from 225 to 350, while the average daily intensive care unit cases increased from four to nine.
According to the Singapore government, the dominant variant reported in the majority of cases was JN.1, a sublineage of BA.2.86.
“Based on the available international and local data, 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,” MOH said in a statement.
The ministry also urged people to exercise personal and social responsibility, stating that people suffering from acute respiratory infection symptoms should avoid contact with others and remain at home.
The Ministry of Health announced its intention to open a COVID-19 treatment facility at Singapore Expo Hall 10 in the coming weekend
“We urge the public to seek medical treatment at a hospital’s emergency department only for serious or life-threatening emergencies,” stressed the ministry.
“This will preserve our hospital capacity for patients who truly need acute hospital care and allow those with severe illness to receive timely treatment.”
According to the Straits Times, the Ministry of Health announced its intention to open a COVID-19 treatment facility at Singapore Expo Hall 10 in the coming weekend to increase the number of beds for patients.
“To preserve our healthcare capacity, MOH has been working with public hospitals for contingency planning, including ensuring adequate manpower and deferring of non-urgent electives to maximize bed capacity for urgent cases in need of acute care,” according to the statement.
In a statement, Singapore’s health ministry also stated that it was working with hospitals to develop contingency plans to provide patients with immediate care.
“In addition, hospitals are tapping on step-down facilities like Transitional Care Facilities and alternative care models like Mobile Inpatient Care@Home (MIC@Home) to ensure proper right-siting of patients,” MOH said.