Singapore is seeing a new surge in COVID-19 cases, with over 25,900 recorded from May 5 to 11. Health Minister Ong Ye Kung advised people to wear masks again on Saturday.
"We are at the start of the wave, and cases are steadily increasing," Kung said. "The wave should peak in the next two to four weeks, which means between mid and end of June," he told The Straits Times.
Big increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations
The Ministry of Health (MOH) reported a significant rise in COVID-19 cases, from 13,700 the previous week to 25,900 in the week of May 5 to 11. Average daily hospitalizations went up to about 250 from 181 the previous week, while ICU cases stayed low, increasing slightly from two to three daily.
To manage hospital capacity, public hospitals are reducing non-urgent elective surgeries and transferring suitable patients to transitional care facilities or home care through the Mobile Inpatient Care@Home program, which allows suitable patients to be treated at home.
Vaccination urged for high-risk groups
Kung urged people at high risk of severe disease, such as those aged 60 and above, medically vulnerable individuals, and residents of aged care facilities, to get an additional COVID-19 vaccine dose if they haven’t done so in the last 12 months.
He warned that if COVID-19 cases double again, Singapore will have 500 patients in the healthcare system, which is manageable. However, if cases double a second time, reaching 1,000 patients, it will significantly strain hospitals. "One thousand beds is equivalent to one regional hospital," Ong noted. He emphasized that while no social restrictions are currently planned, the healthcare system must be ready for a possible increase in cases.
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Ong mentioned that as a transport and communications hub, Singapore is likely to experience COVID-19 waves earlier than other cities. "So, COVID-19 is just something that we have to live with. Every year, we should expect one or two waves," he said. The main COVID-19 variants globally are JN.1 and its sub-lineages, including KP.1 and KP.2, which make up over two-thirds of cases in Singapore.
As of May 3, the World Health Organization classified KP.2 as a variant under monitoring. There are no signs that KP.1 and KP.2 are more transmissible or cause more severe disease than other variants. The MOH urged the public to stay updated with vaccinations to protect against current and emerging strains. About 80% of the local population have completed their initial or additional dose but have not received a dose in the last year.
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