Singaporeans strongly encouraged to wear face mask following spike in COVID cases

Singapore: As Singapore’s COVID-19 cases continue to rise, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said it “strongly encourages” people to wear a face mask in crowded places even if they are not ill, especially indoors or when visiting vulnerable people.

The ministry said on Friday that the estimated number of COVID-19 cases from December 3 to 9 increased to 56,043, a 75 per cent jump compared with 32,035 cases in the previous week.

The average daily COVID-19 hospitalisations rose from 225 to 350. The average daily cases in the intensive care unit rose from four to nine, Channel News Asia reported.

The vast majority of cases are infected by the JN.1 variant, a sublineage of BA.2.86.

“Based on the available international and local data, there is currently no clear indication that BA.2.86 or JN.1 are more transmissible or cause more severe disease than other circulating variants,” MOH said in a media release.

Urging the public to exercise personal and social responsibility, the ministry said people who are unwell with acute respiratory infection symptoms should stay at home and avoid contact with others.

It added that those who are travelling should wear a mask at the airport, purchase travel insurance and avoid crowded areas with poor ventilation.

“We urge the public to seek medical treatment at a hospital’s emergency department only for serious or life-threatening emergencies,” stressed the ministry.

“This will preserve our hospital capacity for patients who truly need acute hospital care and allow those with severe illness to receive timely treatment,” the channel had MOH as saying.

The Health Ministry said it has been working with public hospitals for contingency planning, such as ensuring adequate manpower and deferring non-urgent elective surgeries to maximise bed capacity for urgent cases in need of acute care.

“In addition, hospitals are tapping on step-down facilities like Transitional Care Facilities and alternative

care models like Mobile Inpatient Care@Home (MIC@Home) to ensure proper

right-siting of patients,” MOH said.