SINGAPORE – Hospital and ICU admissions for Covid-19 have dropped significantly over the past week, signaling that the recent wave is nearing its end,
SINGAPORE – Hospital and ICU admissions for Covid-19 have dropped significantly over the past week, signaling that the recent wave is nearing its end, even as infection rates remain relatively high. Professor Dale Fisher, senior infectious diseases consultant at the National University Hospital, noted that the declining figures suggest the wave has “run its course.”
In the week of Dec 24-30, 496 patients were admitted to hospitals—a sharp decline from the 864 the previous week. ICU cases also dropped, with only 13 admissions compared to 23 the week before. The wave appeared to peak around mid-December, with 965 hospitalizations and 32 ICU cases among an estimated 58,300 infections.
While some experts, such as Dr. Asok Kurup, have cautioned about potential increases in cases from returning holiday travelers, Professor Alex Cook from the National University of Singapore’s Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health disagrees. He attributes the wave’s downturn to existing population immunity, which should mitigate the spread even if returning travelers bring infections.
With Covid-19 now endemic, hospitalization and ICU admissions serve as key indicators of wave severity, as official reports are only filed by those seeking medical care. Professor Fisher noted that waves may recur as immunity wanes and the virus mutates. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health (MOH) continues to provide daily Covid-19 updates based on a seven-day moving average, with current daily cases around 2,600—down from the peak of 7,870 on Dec 12.
Professor Cook emphasized that, despite holiday-related data variability, falling hospitalization and ICU figures confirm the wave’s crest. “It’s reassuring that social responsibility and high immunity levels helped us weather this wave,” he added.
MOH reports that about 80% of the population has received a minimum of three mRNA doses or four traditional vaccinations, with recent booster shots reducing hospitalization risk. In the first 11 months of 2023, Covid-19 accounted for 247 deaths in Singapore, including one child under 12.
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