COVID-19 cases in Singapore jumped to 14,200 in the week of April 27 to May 3, up from 11,100 in the previous week.
Daily COVID-19 hospitalizations rose from 102 to 133 cases during this period. ICU cases dropped from three to two daily.
Singapore hospitals remain able to handle the current caseload, according to health officials.
LF.7 and NB.1.8 variants now make up over two-thirds of local COVID-19 cases. Both belong to the JN.1 family, which is included in current vaccine formulations.
“There is no indication that the variants circulating locally are more transmissible or cause more severe disease compared to previously circulating variants,” stated the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) on May 13.
Most patients show mild symptoms similar to common flu and recover quickly, said Dr. Lim Kim Show, medical director of Life Family Clinic.
Dr. Shawn Vasoo, executive director of the National Centre for Infectious Diseases, noted that hospitalized patients tend to be older with multiple medical conditions.
Healthcare professionals point to declining immunity as a factor in rising cases. Many patients seen at Dr. Lim’s Clementi West clinic haven’t been vaccinated in one to two years.
“With the drop in immunity, that may account for higher vulnerability to new strains, especially for those with higher risks,” Dr. Lim explained.
Fewer people now test themselves for COVID-19. Dr. Chua Guan Kiat, director of Chua Medical Clinic and Surgery, reported that patients who tested positive were surprised, saying they “thought the pandemic was over.”
Health authorities recommend people at high risk get vaccinated yearly. This includes people aged 60+, medically vulnerable individuals, and aged care facility residents.
Healthcare workers and those living with vulnerable people should also get vaccinated.
The public should wash hands frequently, cover coughs and sneezes, limit social contact when sick, and avoid unnecessary travel.
Mask-wearing is recommended in crowded places or when experiencing symptoms like runny nose, sore throat, headache or fever.
Health officials expect periodic COVID-19 waves throughout the year, similar to other endemic respiratory diseases.
