Singapore – The Ministry of Health (MOH) announced that the occupancy rate for Covid-19 isolation beds in hospitals is at 85 per cent, the daily number of community cases putting a
significant strain” on the healthcare system.
On Friday (Oct 8), MOH provided an update on the country’s hospital capacity and manpower situation in managing the ongoing surge in Covid-19 cases.
Community infections have been around 3,000 a day for the past few days, noted MOH.
Despite the slowing of numbers doubling, from six to eight days three weeks ago to about 10 to 12 days, “the large daily numbers have placed significant strain on our healthcare system.”
It noted healthcare workers had been stretched for almost two years, bearing the brunt of the burden.
MOH said that about 98.4 per cent of Covid-19 patients continue to be asymptomatic or with mild symptoms, while 1.3 per cent require oxygen supplementation in a hospital and 0.1 per cent need intensive care unit (ICU) care.
With around seven per cent of Covid-19 patients warded in hospitals for more severe symptoms or pre-existing medical risks, about 20 per cent of hospital beds in acute and community public hospitals are taken up by Covid-19 patients, said MOH.
“ICU beds are disproportionately occupied by seniors 60 years and older who are unvaccinated or only partially vaccinated.”
Furthermore, the occupancy rate for Covid-19 isolation beds has risen from 62 per cent in July to 85 per cent despite efforts to set aside more beds.
MOH said that the number of patients seeking medical attention at the Emergency Departments (EDs) after testing positive for the virus had increased eight times. Many were admitted for precautionary observation.
Consequently, the waiting time at public hospitals from the EDs to admission for non-Covid patients has increased by 34 per cent from July to September 2021.
MOH has been proactively working with public, community and private hospitals to set aside more beds for Covid-19 patients.
Meanwhile, a key resource constraint now is healthcare manpower.
“Our public healthcare institutions and private healthcare providers have redeployed existing staff and recruited additional short-term manpower to ramp-up beds,” said MOH.
Manpower is being tapped through individuals registered with the Singapore Healthcare Corps and nurses registered with the Singapore Nursing Board currently not in active practice.
“About 900 individuals of all ages have stepped forward in response to our call to duty,” said MOH.
Those interested can visit go.gov.sg/shc-covidops for more details.
“We urge Singaporeans to play your part to protect the healthcare system and help lighten the burden now placed on our healthcare workers,” said MOH.
It encouraged individuals with non-emergency conditions to avoid seeking treatment at hospitals and consult their family doctor or a General Practitioner instead.
“All of us need to be socially responsible to take care of ourselves and others around us through vaccination, regular testing and adherence to isolation protocols where needed.”/TISG
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