Update on Local COVID-19 Situation

Summary of local situation 

• 850 cases remain warded in hospital. 142 cases require oxygen supplementation in the general ward, 6 are unstable and under close monitoring in the intensive care unit (ICU), and 47 are critically ill and intubated in the ICU. The current overall ICU utilisation rate is 48.0%. 

• Over the last 28 days, of the 48,805 infected individuals, 98.7% had no or mild symptoms, 0.8% required oxygen supplementation in the general ward, 0.2% were in the ICU, and 0.2% has died. 

• As of 5 December 2021, the total number of individuals who have completed their full regimen/received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines constitutes 96% of the eligible population, and 87% of the total population.  As a percentage of total population, 87% has received at least one dose, and 28% has received their booster shots. 

• Over the past day, 1,198 cases were discharged, of whom 182 are seniors aged 60 years and above. 662 new cases of COVID-19 infection were detected, with 638 in the community, 13 in the migrant worker dormitories and 11 imported cases. The weekly infection growth rate is 0.64. 

• The Ministry of Health (MOH) had on 2 December announced that we have detected two imported COVID-19 cases who had tested preliminarily positive for the Omicron variant. The National Public Health Laboratory has completed whole genome sequencing for the cases, and has confirmed that they are infected with the Omicron variant. Both are fully vaccinated, and have mild symptoms of cough and scratchy throat. They were isolated upon arrival in Singapore on 1 December, and had not interacted in the community. 

Situation at Hospitals

1.     As of 6 December 2021, 142 cases require oxygen supplementation in the general ward, 6 are unstable and under close monitoring in the ICU to prevent further deterioration, and 47 are critically ill and intubated in the ICU. The current overall ICU utilisation rate is 48.0%.

Figure 1: Daily Adult ICU Bed Utilisation

Status of Patients
2.     Over the last 28 days, 98.7% of local infected cases were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms, 0.8% required oxygen supplementation in the general ward, 0.1% were unstable and under close monitoring in the ICU to prevent further deterioration, and 0.1% had been critically ill and intubated in the ICU.Figure 2: Local Cases in the Last 28 Days by Severity of Condition[1]

3.     Seniors 60 years old and above, especially if unvaccinated, continue to be more adversely affected by COVID-19:

Figure 3: Patients Needing Oxygen Supplementation, ICU Care or Died[2], by Age Groups

Vaccination

4.     As of 5 December 2021, the total number of individuals who have completed their full regimen/ received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines constitutes 96% of the eligible population, and 87% of the total population.  As a percentage of total population, 87% has received at least one dose, and 28% has received their booster shots.

5.     Over the past 7 days, the number of fully vaccinated and non-fully vaccinated cases who are critically ill in the ICU are at 0.5 and 3.8 per 100,000 population respectively. Over the same period, the number of fully vaccinated and non-fully vaccinated cases who died are 0.04 and 0.6 per 100,000 population respectively. Among seniors aged 60 and above, the number of fully vaccinated and non-fully vaccinated cases who are critically ill in the ICU are 1.9 and 32.9 respectively. The number of fully vaccinated and non-fully vaccinated seniors who died are 0.2 and 6.3 respectively.Figure 4: 7-Day Moving Average of Number of Deaths and Active Cases in ICU, per 100,000 Population by Vaccination Status [3]

Inflow and Outflow of Cases6.     Over the past day, 1,198 cases were discharged, of whom 182 are seniors aged 60 years and above.

7.     As of 6 December 2021, 12pm, the Ministry of Health has detected a total of 662 new cases of COVID-19 infection, comprising 638 community cases, 13 dormitory resident cases and 11 imported cases. Amongst the community cases today are 106 seniors who are aged 60 years and above. The ratio of community cases for the past week over the week before is 0.64.

8.     4 more cases, aged between 81 and 97 years, have passed away from complications due to COVID-19 infection. All of them had various underlying medical conditions.

9.     MOH had on 2 December announced that we have detected two imported COVID-19 cases, Cases 271487 and 271598, who had tested preliminarily positive for the Omicron variant. The National Public Health Laboratory has completed whole genome sequencing for the cases, and has confirmed that they are infected with the Omicron variant. Both are fully vaccinated, and have mild symptoms of cough and scratchy throat. They were isolated upon arrival in Singapore on 1 December, and had not interacted in the community.Figure 5: Number of Community Cases by Age

 Figure 6: Week-on-week Infection Ratio[4]
10.     We are closely monitoring the cluster listed below, which has already been ringfenced through tracing, testing and isolation.Figure 7: Large Clusters with New Cases

11.     Please refer to MOH’s daily Situation Report (www.moh.gov.sg/covid-19/situation-report) for details.

Updating of COVID-19 statistics on MOH website
12.     As the current wave of Delta infections subsides, MOH will stop issuing daily press releases on infection statistics from 7 December 2021, but we will continue to update the same infection statistics on the MOH website on a daily basis.

13.     The public can access information on  the local COVID-19 situation, including hospital capacity, status of COVID-19 patients, vaccination progress and number of COVID-19 cases, on the MOH website at https://www.moh.gov.sg/.

14.     One of the statistics being monitored is the week-on-week infection growth ratio. During the present wave of infection, we wanted to ensure that the ratio was below 1 before we eased any restrictions. As the present wave subsides and infection numbers start to stabilise, we can expect the ratio to trend towards 1.  

15.     We will continue to monitor this indicator to get a sense of how quickly the virus is spreading in the community. For example if the ratio were to rise rapidly beyond 1 on a sustained basis, then it would mean an acceleration in the spread of infection, and potentially the start of a new wave of transmission.  

16.     MOH will continue to update the public on significant developments, including information on the Omicron variant, through regular media statements.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH

6 DECEMBER 2021

[1] Includes only new cases reported in the past 28 days. Based on cases’ worst-ever condition; deceased cases previously in ICU are counted under ‘Deceased’ and not under ‘Ever Critically ill and Intubated in ICU’.

[2] May differ from the deaths reported for the day as the latter includes those who have passed on earlier, but whose cause of death was investigated and confirmed only later, e.g. Coroner’s cases.

[3] Non-fully vaccinated comprises persons who are partially vaccinated and completely unvaccinated.

[4] Ratio of community cases in the past week over the week before.

[5] Includes new cases added today.