Covid-19 Cases Peak in Singapore, Clinics Brace for Surge in the Coming Months
Written by Sanjay Kumar
Singapore has experienced a peak in Covid-19 cases, prompting clinics across the country to gear up for a potential surge in the coming months. Doctors are warning of the need for increased manpower and medication supplies as clinics continue to see a higher-than-usual number of patients with respiratory infections.
Singapore
Country in Asia
- Official languages: Malay, English, Tamil, Singaporean Mandarin
- Population: 54.5 lakhs (2021) World Bank
- Dialing code: +65
- Area: 734.3 km²
- Malay: Republik Singapura
According to a recent Channel News Asia report, Healthway Medical, operating 57 clinics, is currently handling an average of 50 to 60 patients daily with respiratory infections. While this marks a 10% increase from regular patient loads, there has been a slight decrease from the peak observed around Christmas.
Similarly, OneCare Medical, with 38 clinics, has reported a stabilization of Covid-19 cases. Dr. Jimmy Chew, CEO of OneCare Medical, expressed optimism, stating, “We feel that the Acute Respiratory Infection has already peaked, so we should see the numbers stabilize and probably slowly come down over the next few weeks, back to the usual baseline numbers.”
Despite this, doctors are cautious about the looming threat of a resurgence as the Chinese New Year approaches next month.
In a positive development, the count of patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) has seen a decline. The Straits Times reported that 496 patients were hospitalized between December 24 and December 30, down from 864 in the previous week. The number of patients requiring intensive care also decreased, with 13 cases in the last week of December compared to 23 in the previous week.
The spike in Covid-19 cases in Singapore occurred primarily between December 10 and December 16, resulting in an estimated 58,300 people infected during that period.
Meanwhile, in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported a 20.4% increase in hospitalizations for the week ending December 30. The CDC highlighted the prevalence of the Covid subvariant JN.1, which now accounts for about 62% of cases in the US. JN.1 is also the dominant variant in Europe and is rising sharply in Asia, according to the CDC.
In December, the World Health Organization classified JN.1 as a “variant of interest,” stating that current evidence suggests a low risk to public health from this strain.
