Singapore reports more than 5,000 COVID-19 daily cases on Oct 27

SINGAPORE: Singapore reported more than 5,000 new daily cases of COVID-19 infection on Wednesday (Oct 27), the highest number recorded since the pandemic began last year.

From the total of 5,324 new cases, the republic's Ministry of Health (MOH) said 4,651 cases were reported in the community, 661 in the migrant worker dormitories, and 12 imported cases.

"The weekly infection growth rate is 1.15," said the ministry in its nightly data update.

The ministry said the infection numbers were unusually high, mostly due to many COVID-positive cases detected by the testing laboratories within a few hours on Wednesday afternoon.

"MOH is looking into this unusual surge in cases within a relatively short window, and closely monitoring the trends for the next few days," said the statement.

According to the update, 3,172 cases were discharged Wednesday while 1,777 cases remain warded in hospital with 308 cases requiring oxygen supplementation in the general ward, 76 unstable and under close monitoring in the ICU, and 66 critically ill and intubated in the ICU.

Over the last 28 days, of the 90,203 infected individuals 98.7 per cent had no or mild symptoms, 0.9 per cent required oxygen supplementation in the general ward, 0.1 per cent were unstable and under close monitoring in the intensive care unit (ICU), 0.1 per cent were critically ill and intubated in the ICU, and 0.2 per cent had died.

The current overall ICU utilisation rate is 79.8 per cent and the ministry said "it is in the process of standing up more ICU beds."

As of Oct 26, 84 per cent of Singapore's population had completed their full regimen or received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines, 85 per cent has received at least one dose, and 14 per cent has received boosters.

As of noon Wednesday, the total caseload here stood at 184, 419 with 349 deaths.

-- BERNAMA