SINGAPORE – Singapore will extend its Stabilisation Phase for another month through November 21 as more time is needed to relieve continuing pressure on its healthcare system, according to the republic’s Multi-Ministry Taskforce (MTF) on Covid-19 today.
The republic had entered the Stabilisation Phase on September 27 and it was earlier scheduled to end on October 25 in a bid to slow the rate of transmission and protect its healthcare system.
Announcing this at a virtual press conference today, MTF co-chair Lawrence Wong shared a sense of the current situation facing the healthcare system.
Giving two indicators, Wong said nearly 90% of isolation beds in the hospital system had been filled, while more than two-thirds of intensive care units (ICU) beds are occupied.
“We are trying to add capacity, but it’s not simply a matter of having extra beds or purchasing new equipment. Our medical personnel are stretched and fatigued.
“And, while we are trying to reinforce the team, it will take time for these reinforcements to come in. Currently, we face considerable risk of the healthcare system being overwhelmed,” he said.
The MTF said there are about 1,650 isolation beds and 200 ICU beds at public hospitals here.
Yesterday, Singapore detected 3,994 new Covid-19 cases, with 3,480 in the community, 501 in the migrant worker dormitories, and 13 imported cases.
The republic’s Health Ministry attributed this to the “usual post-weekend surge”.
It said it will have to closely monitor cases for the next few days to determine if this is a temporary spike or signals a further surge in infections.
Over the last 28 days, of the 74,641 infected individuals, 98.6% had no or mild symptoms, 1.0% required oxygen supplementation, 0.1% required ICU care and 0.2% had died.
In total, Singapore has reported 154,725 cases of Covid-19 and 246 deaths. – Bernama, October 20, 2021
