Covid-19: 3,486 new cases in Singapore; rise in number of patients who are hospitalised, need oxygen support

SINGAPORE — There were a record 3,486 new cases of Covid-19 confirmed on Tuesday (Oct 5), the first time that the daily caseload has breached the 3,000-mark.

Of these, 2,767 cases were in the community, 713 were workers' dormitory residents and the remaining six were imported.

Among the new locally transmitted cases on Tuesday are 643 patients who are aged above 60, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in its daily update on the coronavirus situation.

There are 1,512 patients who are in hospital, 157 more than the day before.

Of these, 247 patients require oxygen support to help them breathe, up from the 226 reported the previous day.

The number of patients under intensive care is at 34, one fewer than on Monday.

“Of those who have fallen very ill, 235 are seniors above 60 years,” MOH said.

Nine more deaths were also reported on Tuesday, bringing the tally to 130 so far.

Singapore has logged a total of 109,804 coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic last year.

MOH said that over the last 28 days, the percentage of local cases who had mild or no symptoms is 98.3 per cent.

• During the same period, 570 cases required oxygen aid and 56 had been warded in intensive care units

• Of these, 50.3 per cent were fully vaccinated and 49.7 per cent were not vaccinated or partially vaccinated

• Over the last 28 days, 68 infected people have died, of whom 32.4 per cent were fully vaccinated and 67.6 per cent were not vaccinated or partially vaccinated

CLUSTERS UNDER MONITORING

Among large clusters that are being closely monitored by the ministry, a total of five had new cases on Tuesday. This was three fewer clusters with new cases than the day before.

Of the five clusters, three are migrant worker dormitories.

A total of 37 new infections were added to these five large clusters on Tuesday.

MOH has also identified a nursing home in Toa Payoh as a new cluster under close monitoring.

Of the 14 cases reported at the United Medicare Centre, eight are workers there and the remaining six are residents.

VACCINATIONS

As of Oct 4, 83 per cent of the population has been fully vaccinated, and 85 per cent has received at least one dose.

A total of 9,310,419 doses of Covid-19 vaccines under the national vaccination programme (Pfizer-BioNTech or Comirnaty and Moderna) have been administered.

So far, 4,595,012 people have received at least one dose of vaccine under the national vaccination programme, and 4,526,955 individuals have completed the full vaccination regimen.

MOH added that to date, it has invited about 600,000 eligible seniors to receive their vaccine booster.

It said that 321,228 individuals have received their booster shots and another 107,000 have booked their appointments.

In addition, 203,051 doses of other vaccines such as Sinovac that are recognised in the World Health Organization’s Emergency Use Listing have been administered, covering 105,512 individuals.