Local Covid-19 cases rising faster than expected but healthcare system not overwhelmed

Singapore – Although the number of Covid-19 cases has risen faster than expected, a high vaccination rate has kept Singapore’s healthcare system from being overwhelmed, said director of medical services Kenneth Mak.

Associate Professor Mak reported on Friday (Sept 17) it was “encouraging” that the number of severe Covid-19 cases requiring oxygen supplementation or placed in intensive care units (ICU) has not risen at the same pace as local transmissions.

On Friday, the Ministry of Health (MOH) detected a total of 935 new cases of Covid-19 infection in Singapore, with 838 community cases, 96 dormitory resident cases and one imported case.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung added during an earlier virtual conference by the multi-ministry taskforce for Covid-19 that the rate of local transmissions was “rising faster than expected.”

“In fact, we were hoping that such a wave would come much later when we open up further,” he noted in a Straits Times report.

“But Delta (variant) is just very infectious… so it is now doubling every seven days.”

Mr Ong highlighted that even as local cases doubles or rises rapidly, what is important is the percentage that translates into ICU admissions and deaths “and whether we can get our healthcare protocols updated and refreshed in time, moving more people to home recovery and then we can ride the wave.”

To date, there are 813 cases currently warded in hospital, of which most are well and under observation.

There are 90 cases of serious illness requiring oxygen supplementation and 14 in ICU.

“We may actually be alright, and the healthcare resources we have would be well able to cope and cater for those who are more severely affected by Covid-19 infection and who require us to spend more time, more attention caring for them,” said Assoc Prof Mak.

However, it is still too early to be sure, and authorities need to continue monitoring the situation for the next two weeks, he added./TISG

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