The epidemic raided Singapore.
According to the latest data, SingaporeSpinnersarcadeThe number of COVID-19 infections is soaring. The Ministry of Health in Singapore said that in the week from May 5 to 11, the estimated number of COVID-19 cases increased from 1.SpinnersarcadeThe number of .37 million cases has increased significantly to 2.Spinnersarcade.59 million cases, an increase of 89.1% over the previous month; in Singapore, the average daily number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 increased from 181to about 250in the same period.
In the face of a potential new round of COVID-19 epidemic, the Singaporean government is taking urgent action to closely follow the trajectory of the epidemic and has asked public hospitals to be ready. At the same time, Singapore authorities urge people to wear masks and get vaccinated, which will greatly extend the business hours of the vaccination center.
One of the reasons for the surge in COVID-19 infection in Singapore is that COVID-19 mutants KP.1 and KP.2 are spreading rapidly. At present, more than 2/3 of the local cases in Singapore are infected with KP.1 and KP.2 variants, Singapore's health department wrote in a statement. But so far, there is no sign that KP.1 and KP.2 cause more serious diseases than other epidemic variants in the world or in Singapore.
Singapore sudden
The Singaporean government suddenly issued an alert for a potential new round of COVID-19 epidemic.
The latest figures show that the number of COVID-19 infections in Singapore is soaring. The estimated number of COVID-19 cases rose sharply to 25900 in the week from May 5 to 11, up 89.1% from the previous week, the Ministry of Health in Singapore said.
According to the latest report released by the Ministry of Health in Singapore, the average number of people hospitalized by COVID-19 in Singapore increased from 181to about 250in the same period.
Wang Yikang, Singapore's health minister, said that if the number of COVID-19 cases doubled, there would be 500 patients in Singapore's health care system, which Singapore could handle. However, he pointed out that if the number of cases doubles for the second time, the number of patients will reach 1000, "which will put a considerable burden on the hospital system."
Although the number of cases in intensive care units is still low, the Ministry of Health of Singapore has asked public hospitals to prepare and instructed public hospitals to reduce non-emergency operations and transfer appropriate patients to care facilities.
This caused a high degree of alarm in the Singaporean government, which the Ministry of Health said was closely following the trajectory of the new COVID-19 epidemic.
Wang Yikang predicts that the current wave of COVID-19 infection will peak in the next two to four weeks. He warned the public to wear masks and get vaccinated again.
Wang Yikang warned that Singapore, as a global transportation and communications center, will experience the COVID-19 wave earlier than other cities.SpinnersarcadeSo COVID-19 is something we have to put up with. We expect one or two waves every year. "
According to Wang Yikang's prediction: "We are at the beginning of this wave, and it (the number of COVID-19 infections) is rising steadily." This outbreak will peak in the next two to four weeks, that is, between mid-June and the end of June. "
Emergency action
On May 20th, The Staits Times reported that the rapid antigen test (ART) kit used to assess COVID-19 's infection was snapped up on the shelves of many pharmacies over the weekend following news that Singapore was facing a new outbreak.
Reported that Watsons Singapore Managing Director Irene Lau said that Watsons' demand for COVID-19 test kits has surged by more than 150% in the past week. "our store has plenty of stock and has arranged to replenish it. We are constantly seeking cooperation with our partners to respond quickly to further growth in demand. "
At the same time, demand for COVID-19-related items, such as masks, test kits and cough and cold medicine, has increased in Singapore's drugstore chains.
In the face of a new round of epidemic raids, the Singaporean government is taking urgent action to urge people to be vaccinated.
Singapore's health authorities pointed out that one of the reasons for the surge in the number of COVID-19 cases is that the immunity of the population may have weakened. 80 per cent of the local population has completed the first or additional dose of COVID-19 vaccination, but has not been vaccinated in the past year.
Singapore Health Minister Wang Yikang suggested that attention should be paid to the people who are at the highest risk of contracting COVID-19 's disease (including people aged 60 and above, residents living in geriatric care institutions, etc.). If they have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 in the past 12 months, please receive an additional dose of vaccine.
Singapore's Ministry of Health will send text messages to individuals who have not received any COVID-19 vaccine in the past 12 months, reminding them to get vaccinated in a timely manner. The updated COVID-19 vaccine continues to be provided free of charge to all eligible residents.
Between May 21 and June 29, five joint testing and vaccination centres extended their business hours on Saturdays and on the eve of public holidays to 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., instead of the usual 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
On social restrictions, Wang Yikang said that the Singaporean government currently does not have any form of social restriction plan, but does not rule out taking additional measures as a last resort.
COVID-19 mutant raided
Another reason for the new outbreak in Singapore is that COVID-19 mutants KP.1 and KP.2 are spreading rapidly.
At present, worldwide, COVID-19 var. JN.1 and its descendant lineages (including KP.1 and KP.2) are still the main COVID-19 variants, Singapore's health department wrote in a statement. In Singapore, more than 2/3 of people are currently infected with KP.1 and KP.2 variants.
In early May this year, the World Health Organization listed KP.2 as a "variety under monitoring", meaning that World Health Organization (WHO) sent a signal to the global public health department that this new variant of COVID-19 may need priority attention and monitoring.
At present, KP.2 has begun to spread in many countries and has become a major epidemic strain in the United States. As of mid-May, the proportion of cases infected with KP.2 in the United States has reached 28%. The figure is significantly higher than 6 per cent in mid-April and 1 per cent in mid-March, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In Canada, KP.2 has also occupied a dominant position.
Maria Van Kerkhove, head of COVID-19 technology in World Health Organization (WHO), said that KP.2 is a descendant pedigree of JN.1, and there is an extra mutation in KP.2 spike protein.
At present, there is no indication that KP.1 and KP.2 cause more serious diseases than other epidemic variants in the world or in Singapore.
Dr. Robert Murphy, an American infectious disease expert, said that although the symptoms and severity seemed to be roughly the same as the previous novel coronavirus strain, the new strain seemed to be more contagious.
Lawrence Young, a virologist and professor of molecular oncology at the University of Warwick in the UK, warned that KP.2 could cause a wave of infections in the summer. Early evidence suggests that KP.2 appears to be more infectious than previous substrains.
But so far, KP.1 has not been shown to cause more serious diseases, and the COVID-19 vaccine is still effective.