Singapore
By Vanessa Lim 16 Jul 2021 05:45PM (Updated: 16 Jul 2021 05:45PM )
SINGAPORE: The new and growing COVID-19 cluster that has emerged from KTV lounges here is a "major setback" in Singapore's journey to recovery, said Minister of Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong.
As of Friday (Jul 16), the cluster has a total of about 120 cases, up from 88 the day before.
Speaking at a COVID-19 multi ministry task force press conference on Friday, Mr Gan said some of the cases had tested positive when authorities identified them.
"Which means that they may have already infected others before they were isolated therefore we expect the number of cases to rise in the coming days," he said.
"Furthermore, some of the close contacts may be within the incubation period and tested negative initially, they may turn positive in time to come, adding to the case count."
The co-chair of the task force added that authorities will carry out contact tracing, community testing, as well as ring fencing for this cluster.
"I understand many Singaporeans will be disappointed, and so are we," Mr Gan said.
"We must respond to this emerging cluster quickly, especially to protect those who have not yet been vaccinated completely."
Mr Gan said that the country will need to "double down" on its efforts to vaccinate seniors to protect them against severe outcomes and death, should they be infected.
While Singapore's vaccination programme has made steady progress, he said the coverage remained "inadequate", particularly among seniors aged 70 and above.
Currently, about seven in 10 seniors above the age of 70 have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
He encouraged those who have not been vaccinated to come forward and urged family members to reach out to their elderly parents and grandparents and bring them for vaccination, if they have not already done so.
"This and previous clusters have shown many household contacts have been infected without leaving their homes or participating in high-risk activities, vaccination is therefore the only way to keep our loved ones safe," he said.
"The higher our vaccination rates are, especially for the elderly, the more we will be able to reopen."
ICU OCCUPANCY RATE TO DETERMINE NEED TO TIGHTEN RESTRICTIONS
Hospital capacity, particularly in the intensive care unit, will be a “key consideration" when deciding the country’s safe management measure posture, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung during the press conference.
“What we really need to watch and what will decide our posture will be our ICU capacity,” he said.
Currently only one person - an elderly patient - is in ICU, said the minister, adding that Singapore has an ICU capacity of about 1,000 beds for COVID-19 cases.
“This is what we have to watch closely, at any point in time, if we see that the capacity is under pressure, we will need to tighten up, hammer the transmission, go back to Phase 2 Heightened Alert for example,” he said.
This is to preserve capacity and the proper functioning of the country’s hospitals, he said, adding that in other countries, COVID-19 cases and ICU occupancy double every week.
“So if (in) the next few days, if more people fall sick, and ICU says 25 people, in one week, it’ll be 50, one more week, 100 (people), one more week, 200 (people), one more week about 500 (people), fifth week about 1,000 people and the system collapse,” he said.
“Five weeks is what it takes, we cannot wait five weeks, by the third week, if we see the number goes up, action has to be taken quickly and rewind (us) back to at least Phase 2 Heightened Alert,” he said.
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Source: CNA/vl(ta)
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Growing KTV cluster of COVID-19 infections a 'major setback': Gan Kim Yong
Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong speaks at a multi-ministry taskforce press conference on Jul 16, 2021.By Vanessa Lim 16 Jul 2021 05:45PM (Updated: 16 Jul 2021 05:45PM )
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SINGAPORE: The new and growing COVID-19 cluster that has emerged from KTV lounges here is a "major setback" in Singapore's journey to recovery, said Minister of Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong.
As of Friday (Jul 16), the cluster has a total of about 120 cases, up from 88 the day before.
Speaking at a COVID-19 multi ministry task force press conference on Friday, Mr Gan said some of the cases had tested positive when authorities identified them.
"Which means that they may have already infected others before they were isolated therefore we expect the number of cases to rise in the coming days," he said.
"Furthermore, some of the close contacts may be within the incubation period and tested negative initially, they may turn positive in time to come, adding to the case count."
The co-chair of the task force added that authorities will carry out contact tracing, community testing, as well as ring fencing for this cluster.
"I understand many Singaporeans will be disappointed, and so are we," Mr Gan said.
"We must respond to this emerging cluster quickly, especially to protect those who have not yet been vaccinated completely."
Mr Gan said that the country will need to "double down" on its efforts to vaccinate seniors to protect them against severe outcomes and death, should they be infected.
While Singapore's vaccination programme has made steady progress, he said the coverage remained "inadequate", particularly among seniors aged 70 and above.
Currently, about seven in 10 seniors above the age of 70 have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
He encouraged those who have not been vaccinated to come forward and urged family members to reach out to their elderly parents and grandparents and bring them for vaccination, if they have not already done so.
"This and previous clusters have shown many household contacts have been infected without leaving their homes or participating in high-risk activities, vaccination is therefore the only way to keep our loved ones safe," he said.
"The higher our vaccination rates are, especially for the elderly, the more we will be able to reopen."
ICU OCCUPANCY RATE TO DETERMINE NEED TO TIGHTEN RESTRICTIONS
Hospital capacity, particularly in the intensive care unit, will be a “key consideration" when deciding the country’s safe management measure posture, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung during the press conference.
“What we really need to watch and what will decide our posture will be our ICU capacity,” he said.
Currently only one person - an elderly patient - is in ICU, said the minister, adding that Singapore has an ICU capacity of about 1,000 beds for COVID-19 cases.
“This is what we have to watch closely, at any point in time, if we see that the capacity is under pressure, we will need to tighten up, hammer the transmission, go back to Phase 2 Heightened Alert for example,” he said.
This is to preserve capacity and the proper functioning of the country’s hospitals, he said, adding that in other countries, COVID-19 cases and ICU occupancy double every week.
“So if (in) the next few days, if more people fall sick, and ICU says 25 people, in one week, it’ll be 50, one more week, 100 (people), one more week, 200 (people), one more week about 500 (people), fifth week about 1,000 people and the system collapse,” he said.
“Five weeks is what it takes, we cannot wait five weeks, by the third week, if we see the number goes up, action has to be taken quickly and rewind (us) back to at least Phase 2 Heightened Alert,” he said.
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Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram
Source: CNA/vl(ta)
Continue reading...