Updated 23 Sep 2021: Why the surge in Covid-19 deaths in S'pore, and what it means for the future
As seen in other countries, most spikes in Covid-19 cases and deaths are in unvaccinated people, says Professor Dale Fisher. PHOTO: ST FILE
Against this, we had 37 deaths between January last year, when Covid-19 arrived in Singapore, and July 2021. Over that period, more than 64,000 people were diagnosed with the disease. So why has the number of deaths surged, even as vaccination rates here have gone up?
The short answer is the Delta variant. This variant, which is now infecting people in the community here, spreads two to four times more easily, compared with the original wild-type virus. People who are infected with the Delta variant have very much higher viral loads, and vaccines do not work as well against it, though they do still give fairly high levels of protection.
50-yr-old is youngest S'porean Covid-19 fatality; 1,457 new cases
A total of 1,457 new Covid-19 cases were reported in Singapore on Wednesday (Sept 22), said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in its nightly update.
Three Singaporeans have also died of Covid-19 complications, taking the Republic's Covid-19 death toll to 68, said MOH. This takes the total number of deaths recorded over the past two months to 31, making it almost half of the total Covid-19 related death toll in Singapore.
Before this, the highest number of new Covid-19 cases recorded in Singapore stood at 1,426 cases on April 20 last year.
3 more Covid-19 deaths bring total to 65; new cases in community cross 1,000 mark for the third time in 4 days
Three Singaporeans have died of Covid-19 complications, taking the Republic's Covid-19 death toll to 65, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Tuesday (Sept 21).
One of them was a 62-year-old Singaporean woman who died on Monday after a prolonged stay at the hospital. The second fatality was a 74-year-old man who died on Sept 19. The third death was an 83-year-old man who died on Sept 20.
There were a total of 1,178 new Covid-19 cases reported in Singapore on Tuesday, said MOH. This is the third time in four days the number has exceeded 1,000 new cases.
917 new Covid-19 cases in Singapore; 2 S'poreans aged 84 and 85 die from complications
Two men above the age of 80 have died, taking Singapore's Covid-19 death toll to 62, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Monday (Sept 20).
The first was an 84-year-old male Singaporean who died of complications due to Covid-19 infection on Sunday. The other man was an 85-year-old Singaporean. He tested positive for Covid-19 infection on Sept 16 and was taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital on Sept 18.
There were a total of 917 new Covid-19 cases reported in Singapore on Monday, down from the highest daily number since Sunday, when there were 1,012 new cases.
S'pore's new Covid-19 cases cross 1,000 mark; unvaccinated man, 90, dies from complications
Singapore saw its 60th Covid-19 fatality when an unvaccinated 90-year-old man died on Friday (Sept 17), said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Saturday.
Singapore also saw more than 1,000 Covid-19 cases on Saturday, with a total of 1,009 new cases reported, the highest daily number since April 23 last year.
The man had a history of cancer, heart disease and pneumonia and was taken to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases on Friday with symptoms, and tested positive for Covid-19 infection that day.
910 new Covid-19 cases in S'pore, highest since May 2020; unvaccinated woman, 72, dies
Singapore reported 910 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday (Sept 16), the highest daily number since May 1, 2020.
An unvaccinated 72-year-old woman also died from Covid-19 complications, bringing the death toll in Singapore to 59. The woman, who died on Thursday, had developed symptoms on Sept 4, and tested positive for Covid-19 infection on Sept 6.
The total number of Covid-19 infections in Singapore now stands at 74,848 and 59 deaths from the disease.
S'pore reports 568 new local Covid-19 cases and 1 death
Singapore reported 568 locally transmitted Covid-19 cases and five imported ones on Friday (Sept 10), the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in its daily update.
This makes a total of 573 new Covid-19 cases.
A partially vaccinated 80-year-old man died from complications due to Covid-19 infection on Friday, bringing Singapore's Covid-19 death toll to 58.
Unvaccinated 62-year-old man dies of Covid-19
An unvaccinated 62-year-old man died from complications due to Covid-19 infection on Monday (Sept 6), bringing Singapore's Covid-19 death toll to 57.
The Singaporean man tested positive for the coronavirus on July 21.
He was originally taken to Singapore General Hospital for an unrelated medical condition on July 20. He had a history of cancer and bronchiectasis.
Unvaccinated 93-year-old woman dies of Covid-19, bringing death toll in S'pore to 56
An unvaccinated 93-year-old Singaporean woman has died of complications due to Covid-19 infection, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Wednesday (Sept 8).
The woman developed symptoms on Sept 2, and was admitted to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases on Sunday (Sept 5). There, she tested positive for the coronavirus. She had a history of diabetes, chronic kidney disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Her death takes Singapore's Covid-19 toll to 56.
COVID-19 - To Boost or not to Boost
How long does the protective immunity provided by the COVID-19 vaccines last? Do we need to “boost” immunity for continued protection? Recently, these questions have thrown science and politics into a contentious situation. The Biden administration has strongly recommended booster shots for COVID-19 beginning this month, with the caveat that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would have to approve. As a result, significant public and political pressure has been put on the FDA to fast-track approval of the booster. The FDA traditionally proceeds slowly and cautiously with insistence on rigorous supporting data and usually does not respond well to pressure.
This conflict recently led to the resignation of the FDA’s director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), Dr. Marion Gruber, and her deputy director, Dr. Philip Krause. Both are capable scientists with years of experience evaluating vaccines.
Unfortunately, the Biden administration appears not to have adhered to its plan to follow the science when making the recommendation for vaccine boosters. If vaccine-induced immunity is indeed waning, it would be prudent to ready the supply chain to administer millions of booster shots. However, if robust immunity remains sufficient to protect from severe disease, then this rush to boost wastes valuable resources and compromises the goal of ending the pandemic. This decision requires rigorous scientific evidence that protection afforded by the vaccine is indeed waning.
3 unvaccinated seniors die of Covid-19, bringing the total death toll in the country to 55
Three seniors have died of Covid-19 complications, bringing the total death toll in the country to 55.
A 90-year-old woman & a 80-year-old man died on Thursday while a 70-year-old woman, who died on Friday.
All had not been vaccinated against the virus, said the Health Ministry on Friday (Aug 27).
2 Singaporeans aged 86 and 95 die of Covid-19 complications; death toll in August rises to 15
A partially vaccinated 86-year-old man and an unvaccinated 95-year-old woman have died from Covid-19 complications, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Wednesday night (Aug 25). The man, who died on Tuesday, tested positive for Covid-19 infection on July 28.
The woman, who died on Wednesday, developed symptoms on Aug 5 and tested positive for the virus on Aug 9 after being admitted to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases. She had a history of Alzheimer's disease.
With these two deaths, 15 people have died in August from issues linked to Covid-19 infection, and Singapore's total death toll stands at 52.
Unvaccinated 86-year-old woman dies; total fatalities rise to 50
An unvaccinated 86-year-old woman has died from complications due to Covid-19 infection, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said yesterday.
The Singaporean woman was first identified on Aug 2 as a close contact of a patient who was a confirmed case. She had a history of cancer and hypertension, was admitted to Changi General Hospital on July 23 for an unrelated medical condition, and tested negative for the coronavirus at the time.
She is the 13th person to die from Covid-19 complications this month. Her death takes Singapore's virus death toll to 50.
2 more people in S'pore die of Covid-19 complications
A 91-year-old woman who was unvaccinated and an 87-year-old man who was partially vaccinated died of Covid-19 complications at the weekend.
They are the 11th and 12th people to have died of Covid-19 complications in August.
With the latest deaths, announced by the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Sunday night (Aug 22), Singapore’s virus death toll stands at 49.
Unvaccinated 82-year-old man becomes 10th fatality this month
An 82-year-old man died of complications due to Covid-19 infection on Thursday, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said last night.
His is the 10th death to be recorded this month. The man developed symptoms on July 30, and was admitted to Alexandra Hospital after testing positive the next day. He was unvaccinated, and had a history of heart disease, damage to the heart, kidney disease and high blood pressure.
In total, 47 people have died of Covid-19 complications.
Unvaccinated 64-year-old S'porean man dies from Covid-19 complications; 9th death in August
An unvaccinated 64-year-old man died on Monday (Aug 16) due to Covid-19 infection, the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced on Wednesday.
The Singaporean had developed a cough on Aug 2 and was taken to Raffles Hospital the next day after suffering from heart problems. He had a history of end-stage kidney failure, ischaemic cardiomyopathy, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, added the ministry.
This is the ninth death due to the coronavirus in August. In all, 46 people have died from complications due to Covid-19 infection.
90-year-old man dies from Covid-19 complications, the first death of fully vaccinated person in S'pore
A 90-year-old man who was fully vaccinated but had a history of chronic kidney disease and hypertension died from Covid-19 complications on Tuesday (Aug 17), the Ministry of Health (MOH) said. He is the first fully vaccinated person to die from issues linked to Covid-19 in Singapore.
The man developed symptoms on July 29 and tested positive for Covid-19 on Aug 1 as part of community surveillance testing. He had been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, but was advanced in age and had a history of chronic kidney disease and hypertension, said MOH in its daily update.
In total, 45 people have died from complications due to the Covid-19 infection.
Unvaccinated 84-year-old S'porean dies from Covid-19, 44 deaths
An unvaccinated 84-year-old Singaporean died of complications due to Covid-19 on Friday (Aug 13).
The man developed symptoms on July 28 and was admitted to National University Hospital the next day. There, he tested positive for the coronavirus. He had a history of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Friday night in its daily update.
This brings the total number of Covid-19 deaths in Singapore to 44.
69-year-old unvaccinated Singaporean man dies from Covid-19, 43 deaths
A 69-year-old Singaporean died from complications due to Covid-19 on Wednesday (Aug 11).
The man, who was not vaccinated, developed symptoms on July 28 and was admitted to Tan Tock Seng Hospital the next day, where he tested positive for the coronavirus, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Wednesday night in its daily update. He had a history of stroke, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and high cholesterol.
This brings the total number of Covid-19 deaths in Singapore to 43.
80-yr-old S'porean woman dies from Covid-19 complications; fifth death in 7 days
An 80-year-old Singaporean woman has died from Covid-19 complications on Saturday (Aug 7), making her Singapore's fifth Covid-19 death in a week.
The woman was unvaccinated and developed symptoms on July 21. She was admitted to Tan Tock Seng Hospital two days later, after testing positive for the coronavirus. The Ministry of Health (MOH) said she had a history of diabetes, hypertension and atrial fibrillation, a heart condition that causes an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate.
Singapore's coronavirus death toll now stands at 42.
Unvaccinated 63-year-old S'porean man dies of Covid-19, 41 deaths
A 63-year-old man died of complications due to Covid-19 on Thursday (Aug 5). He had developed a fever and cough on Tuesday and was sent to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital on Thursday after collapsing at home, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Friday night in its daily update on the Covid-19 situation in Singapore.
He was confirmed to have Covid-19 after his death. The man had not been vaccinated against Covid-19 and had a history of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
This is the fourth Covid-19 death in the past five days. In all, 41 have died of complications due to the coronavirus.
Covid-19 death toll rises to 40 as 79-year-old unvaccinated Singaporean dies
A 79-year-old Singaporean man died from complications due to Covid-19 on Wednesday (Aug 4). He went to Sengkang General Hospital earlier that day with shortness of breath and low blood pressure, and tested positive for the virus.
He had not been vaccinated and had a history of heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and hypertension, said the Ministry of Health in an update on Thursday. This is Singapore's third death from the virus in four days, bringing the total to 40.
On Monday, a 58-year-old woman, also unvaccinated, died from the virus. On Sunday, a 34-year-old Ukrainian crewman who arrived in Singapore on board a vessel on July 28 died from Covid-19 complications.
Unvaccinated woman dies of Covid-19; she was contact of patient who visited Samy's Curry
A 58-year-old Singaporean woman died on Monday (Aug 2) of Covid-19 complications.
She had not been vaccinated and had no underlying medical conditions. The woman was confirmed on July 29 to have the virus and was a household contact of a patient who had visited Samy’s Curry Restaurant in Dempsey Road, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in an update on Wednesday night.
This brings the number of deaths from the virus in Singapore to 39.
34-year-old seaman from Ukraine dies from Covid-19 complications in S'pore
A seaman with Covid-19 died of complications from the virus on Sunday (Aug 1), said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in its update on Monday night.
The 34-year-old man from Ukraine was a sea crew member who arrived in Singapore on board a vessel on July 29. He had developed a fever, cough and lethargy on July 25, and breathlessness on July 31. He was taken from the vessel to the Singapore General Hospital on Aug 1, and was confirmed to have Covid-19 infection the same day.
The latest case brings the total number of Covid-19 deaths here to 38.
83-year-old S'porean woman dies from Covid-19 complications; she had not been vaccinated
An unvaccinated 83-year-old Singaporean woman died from complications due to Covid-19 infection on Saturday (July 24).
She resided at Bukit Merah View, and was linked to the Block 121 Bukit Merah View cluster, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said last night.
The woman developed symptoms on June 16 but did not seek medical attention until she was taken to the National University Hospital on June 18. She had a history of high blood pressure and hyperlipidaemia, or high cholesterol.
Coronavirus was likely present in US from December 2019: Study
A new antibody testing study published on Tuesday (June 15) has found further evidence that the coronavirus was present in the United States from at least December 2019, weeks before the first confirmed case was announced on Jan 21.
The National Institutes of Health study analysed 24,000 stored blood samples contributed by volunteers across the country from Jan 2 to March 18, 2020.
Antibodies against the Sars-CoV-2 virus were detected via two different serology tests in nine patient samples, according to the paper, which was published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.
157 ‘serious adverse events’ reported out of nearly 3.7 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines given: HSA
The 157 suspected serious adverse events from Covid-19 vaccination were part of 4,704 suspected adverse events reports that the Health Sciences Authority had received as of May 23, 2021
A total of 157 suspected serious “adverse events” have been reported out of nearly 3.7 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccines that have been administered in Singapore as of May 23, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said.
In an update late on Friday (June 11) night, HSA said that the number of suspected serious adverse events comprises 0.004 per cent of the total number of doses given so far. The 157 suspected serious adverse events were part of the 4,704 suspected adverse events reports that the HSA had received as of May 23. This translates to 0.13 per cent of administered doses. Both percentages are consistent with the percentages that had been reported by the authority earlier last month.
Reactions are classified as serious or severe if they result in hospitalisation, disability or a life-threatening illness, among other reasons. Among the serious reports, HSA said that the most frequently reported adverse events were anaphylaxis and other severe allergic reactions.
Some 2,000 people had 'severe adverse reactions' to Pfizer, Moderna vaccine
There are some 2,000 individuals who have experienced severe adverse reactions after the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine and they should not receive an mRNA vaccine again, said the Ministry of Health (MOH).
In a Facebook post on Saturday (5 June), the MOH said it is evaluating other suitable non-mRNA vaccines. "We expect to make such vaccines available before the end of this year for use in our national vaccination programme, after the vaccines have been rigorously assessed and approved by the HSA (Health Sciences Authority)," the ministry said.
In a press release on Friday, the MOH said that these 2,000 individuals are those who had developed "anaphylaxis or allergic reactions (hives, face/ eyelid/ lip/ throat swelling, generalised rash within 7 days after vaccination)". The individuals can consider taking vaccines under the Special Access Route (SAR), such as the Sinovac vaccine, if they cannot wait, the ministry added in its post.
Understanding why some people are not taking Covid-19 vaccines and how to gain their confidence
Ever since Singapore kicked off its national vaccination programme for Covid-19, data on take-up rate has increasingly painted an encouraging picture: More than 4.4 million doses of vaccines have been administered as of Wednesday (June 9).
However, there remains a proportion of the population who may be wary and are hesitant about getting their shots. The following are the statistics so far:
- About 1.9 million people have completed the regimen of taking two doses and about 2.5 million — or 44 per cent of the population — have received at least the first dose.
- About 74 per cent of eligible seniors aged 60 and older, nearly 74 per cent of eligible persons aged 45 to 59, and 65 per cent of eligible recipients aged 40 to 44 have received their shots or booked their appointments.
- For eligible teenagers, about 85 per cent have received their first vaccine shot or booked to receive it.
By August, the Government is expecting half its population to be fully vaccinated, with this rate rising to 75 per cent or more by October.
Pfizer, Moderna vaccines effective against Covid variants from India: Study
The Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna coronavirus vaccines appear to protect against COVID variants B.1.617 and B.1.618 first identified in India, researchers have reported in a new pre-print paper, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, CNN reported.
Based on lab experiments involving cell cultures, the B.1.617 and B.1.618 variants seem to be partially resistant to the antibodies elicited by vaccination, according to the pre-print paper posted to the online server biorxiv.org on Sunday. "Thus, there is a good reason to believe that vaccinated individuals will remain protected against the B.1.617 and B.1.618 variants," the researchers from New York University wrote in their paper. But more research is needed to determine just how effective the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are against those variants in the real world.
Moreover, the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the coronavirus variant first found in India as a "variant of global concern".It said studies show the B.1.617 mutation spreads more easily than other variants and requires further study, CNN reported.
COVID deaths plunge after major world city introduces ivermectin
A citywide initiative in Mexico City to prescribe ivermectin to COVID-19 patients resulted in a plunge in hospitalizations and deaths, two studies found.
Hospitalizations were down by as much as 76%, according to research by the Mexican Digital Agency for Public Innovation, Mexico's Ministry of Health and the Mexican Social Security Institute, according to a TrialSiteNews report highlighted by LifeSiteNews.
Earlier this month, as WND reported, a significant decrease in cases in India coincided with the national health ministry's promotion of ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine treatments. In Mexico City, after a spike in cases in December, the city's Ministry of Health created a home-treatment kit for residents. The city's metro population is 22 million.
Singapore back to phase 2 from 8 May 2021
The chart shows how some of the upcoming restrictions compare with previous phases of the reopening of the economy last year
Unlike the circuit breaker last year from April 7 to June 1 when all activities except essential ones were prohibited, this round of public health safety measures offer some room and respite for people to socialise and attend gatherings or events but with stricter limits.
However, the Government’s Covid-19 task force, which called this latest period a “heightened alert”, is still urging people to minimise social interactions and stay home as much as they can.
Cap of 5 people for social gatherings as Singapore returns to phase 2 amid rising Covid-19 cases
Rules on social gatherings will be tightened starting this Saturday (May 8), as Singapore takes stricter measures to stop the spread of Covid-19 in the wider community.
First, people will be allowed to gather only in groups of five, down from eight currently. These restrictions also apply to households, which will be able to receive only five distinct visitors a day, the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced on Tuesday (May 4).
In addition, more people will be required to work from home. Under the new rules, no more than 50 per cent of employees who are able to work from home should be in the office at any one time, down from 75 per cent at present.
5 more COVID-19 cases linked to TTSH cluster, 12 new imported infections
Five new community cases were among 17 new COVID-19 infections reported in Singapore as of noon on Tuesday (May 4), said the Ministry of Health (MOH).
All of the cases were detected from proactive testing of patients, visitors and staff members at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) or their close contacts, and had already been placed under quarantine, said the ministry.
As of Tuesday, Singapore has reported a total of 61,252 COVID-19 cases and 31 fatalities from the disease.
Migrant worker who tested positive for COVID-19 completed vaccination
The sole dormitory case in Singapore on Sunday (Apr 11) had completed the full COVID-19 vaccination regimen and the case is a reminder that "it is possible for vaccinated individuals to get infected", said MOH.
The man, who is asymptomatic, was detected when he was tested on Apr 7 as part of rostered routine testing. The man's pooled rostered routine testing result came back positive for COVID-19 on Apr 8 and he was immediately isolated, said MOH. An individual test was done on Apr 9 and it came back positive the following day. He was taken to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases by ambulance. "His serology test result has come back positive but we have assessed that this is likely a current infection," said MOH.
The man received his first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine on Jan 25 and the second dose on Feb 17.
What we know so far about COVID-19 reinfection
A migrant worker undergoes a swab test in Singapore on Apr 28, 2020. (Photo: Reuters/Edgar Su)
Over the weekend, the Ministry of Health (MOH) reported Singapore’s first likely case of reinfection, a Bangladeshi migrant worker who had tested positive for COVID-19 again after recovering from the disease last year. The 28-year-old work permit holder, who lives in a dormitory at 43 Tech Park Crescent, first tested positive on Apr 12 last year as part of the cluster of infections there.
He recovered and tested negative for COVID-19 but on Jan 25, the man was confirmed to have COVID-19 again after being detected through rostered routine testing. MOH said that the virus detected in his samples taken in January this year was "genetically distinct from that associated with the dormitories outbreak in 2020, suggesting that this is likely a different and new infection", adding that reinfection is "rare".
Singapore now joins a list of places that have reported cases of reinfection, with the first documented case involving a 33-year-old man in Hong Kong in August last year.
Migrant worker in dormitory is first case of Covid-19 reinfection detected in S’pore
A 28-year-old Bangladeshi worker who resides in a dormitory has been detected as Singapore's first case of Covid-19 reinfection
Singapore has detected its first case of likely Covid-19 reinfection, a 28-year-old work permit holder who resides in a dormitory, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Saturday (Feb 6).
MOH said it had identified the reinfection in consultation with an expert panel after a rostered monitoring testing of recovered workers to monitor their post-infection immunity. The case, a Bangladeshi, resides at 43 Tech Park Crescent and had been confirmed to have Covid-19 on April 12 last year.
He subsequently recovered, and consistently tested negative for the coronavirus from June 2020 onwards.But on Jan 25 this year, his test result came back positive for Covid-19 infection, and he was isolated. Numerous repeat tests conducted subsequently were also positive for the virus.
25 COVID-19 cases with B117 variant found in Singapore
Like all viruses, SARS-CoV-2 mutates in order to maximise its survival chances
Twenty-five cases of a COVID-19 virus variant originally reported by the United Kingdom have been detected in Singapore, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Friday (Jan 29). In an email response to CNA's queries, MOH said that of the 25 cases of the B117 variant as of Jan 26, five are community cases and 20 are imported cases from Europe. There are another two imported cases from Europe that have tested "preliminarily positive and are pending confirmatory results", said the ministry.
The B117 SARS-CoV-2 variant is one of a few mutated strains of the coronavirus to have caused concern around the world as it is said to be potentially more contagious. It has spread to 70 countries and territories now.
Singapore reported its first B117 COVID-19 case on Dec 23, a 17-year-old Singaporean student who had returned from the UK on Dec 6 and served her stay-home notice at a dedicated facility.
Coronavirus vaccine: in Singapore, 432 report side effects but experts ‘reassured
Singaporeans aged 70 yrs & above wait to get a dose of the Covid-19 vaccine on Jan 27. Photo:Reuters
Health experts in Singapore say the relatively high rate of adverse effects from the initial Covid-19 vaccinations delivered by the island nation is not alarming, and is in fact reassuring.
Singapore has given more than 113,000 people the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, after which 432 suffered common side effects, including three people who had anaphylaxis, which is a rapid onset of severe allergic reactions. The data was released by the Ministry of Health on Thursday night as the country embarked on inoculating the general population, with those aged 70 and above getting their first shot on Wednesday. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is one of the 50 who has received their second shot of the vaccine.
The ministry said the three cases of anaphylaxis were “quickly resolved” by health care professionals, and had happened to individuals in their 20s and 30s who had a history of allergies, including allergic rhinitis and food allergies such as to shellfish. None had a history of anaphylaxis, which would have precluded them from the vaccine, and all have been discharged from hospital after a day’s observation or treatment. This puts Singapore’s incidence rate of anaphylaxis at about 2.7 per 100,000 doses administered, compared with other jurisdictions’ one to two per 100,000 doses administered. The ministry said initial variations in the incidence rate were expected given the numbers vaccinated in the island nation were relatively small.
A year of Covid-19: Singapore gears up for next stage in virus war
He knows the suffering that Covid-19 can inflict and wants to ensure that others do not have to go through it.
This is why Mr Ben Ng, a former coronavirus patient, has taken it upon himself to remind others to observe social distancing.
"I don't care who it is, but if the Government says eight (people can gather in a group), then we cannot have more than eight. It says we can have two tables next to each other and I say... no intermingling," he said in an interview last week.
related:
Coronavirus vaccine: your questions answered
Information for people with heart conditions:
- Is the vaccine safe for people with heart conditions?
- Is the vaccine safe for people taking blood thinners like warfarin and other anticoagulants?
- Is the vaccine safe for people taking blood thinners like clopidogrel and other antiplatelet drugs?
- Is the vaccine safe for people taking heart medications?
- I have a heart or circulatory condition - when will I get the vaccine?
- I am in the shielding group, how soon will I get the vaccine?
- Why are people with heart conditions not a higher priority?
Annual vaccination against Covid-19 a possibility as coronavirus mutates: Lawrence Wong
Education Minister Lawrence Wong said the pandemic could last four to five years
Singaporeans may have to be vaccinated against Covid-19 yearly, just like how it is for influenza, Education Minister Lawrence Wong said. This is because new vaccines may need to be developed to combat more virulent strains of the coronavirus, given the uncertainties surrounding how the virus could mutate.
In the worst-case scenario, the world could find itself one step behind viral transmissions once again, he said on Monday (Jan 25) during a dialogue hosted by the Institute of Policy Studies. The dialogue was the final event at the think tank’s four-day-long Singapore Perspectives conference titled Reset, which centred around a post-pandemic Singapore.
Early studies suggest that the South African variant of the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus can evade the defences that vaccines build in our bodies, Mr Wong said. The co-chair of the Government’s Covid-19 task force added: “The bottom line is that we live in a shared world and no one is safe until everyone is safe. It could take four to five years before we finally see the end of the pandemic and the start of a post-pandemic normal.”
What we know about the COVID-19 cases in Singapore that tested positive for the B117 strain
Four COVID-19 cases in Singapore have so far tested positive for the more virulent B117 strain of the coronavirus.
Three of these cases were reported as community infections earlier this month, and MOH confirmed on Tuesday (Jan 26) night they had tested positive for the new variant. The other case confirmed to have tested positive for the B117 strain is an imported case from December last year.
Besides the four confirmed cases, another 14 cases in Singapore have tested “preliminarily positive” for the new strain. The health ministry has yet to provide an update on their status.
3 more cases in S'pore later confirmed to have UK COVID-19 variant, all in community
Singapore has confirmed three more cases of the more contagious COVID-19 variant identified in the UK. The cases, all community infections that were previously reported, tested positive for the new B.1.1.7 strain based on whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis conducted by the National Public Health Laboratory, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in a press release on Tuesday (26 January).
They include a 24-year-old Korean man, a work permit holder who works at Azur at Crowne Plaza Changi Airport, who was confirmed to have COVID-19 on 5 January and had tested preliminarily positive for the B.1.1.7 strain. His job entails delivering pre-packed meals to aircrew and hotel guests. He does not interact with diners at Azur.
The other two cases are a 39-year-old Singaporean man, a worker at Singapore Scouts Association, who was confirmed to have COVID-19 on 15 January, and his 39-year-old Singaporean spouse, an administrative officer at OCBC Tampines Centre One, who was confirmed to be infected on the same day
Recovered virus patient still can't taste or smell
Chinese New Year is traditionally a time of celebration, joy and family visitations. But for Ms Julie Ong, 54, it is a grim reminder of what she went through a year ago, so much so that she has mixed feelings about this festive season.
On Feb 8 last year, she tested positive for Covid-19 and was announced as Case 38. She was warded at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) for 10 days. Before being diagnosed, she attended a Chinese New Year gathering. Her family members and friends who had contact with her were quarantined and eventually tested negative.
Ms Ong told The New Paper: "I was apologetic about the inconvenience I caused. But I was relieved that I didn't infect anyone. "It has made me more cautious. I won't be doing any visiting because I don't need another 'memorable' Chinese New Year."
How a year of COVID-19 changed Singapore forever
It may seem like a lifetime to some, but it was precisely a year ago that Singapore reported its first COVID-19 case.
On Jan 23, 2020, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said it had confirmed one imported case of "novel coronavirus" infection in Singapore. At that point, the virus didn't have a name.
The case was a 66-year-old man from Wuhan who arrived in Singapore with his family a few days before.
One year after Covid-19 first detected in Singapore, business recovery still a mixed bag
Mr Mak Ka Weng, whose fire protection company Fiready survived the past year by pivoting to become a “life saving company” by introducing products relevant to the pandemic such as disinfectant
Exactly 12 months after the first Covid-19 case was detected in Singapore, on Jan 23, 2020, the nation’s businesses have navigated a year like no other, with the worst recession in the Republic’s history, and unprecedented government support.
During the circuit breaker period in April and May, customer-facing businesses were virtually brought to a standstill as the authorities acted to bring the emerging health crisis under control.
Since then, most businesses, barring those in the aviation and tourism sectors, have been able to resume operations, at least to some extent, though things are hardly “normal” as some Covid-19 restrictions remain in place.
Singapore may tighten Covid-19 rules before Chinese New Year, will also prioritise vaccine roll-out
This could mean implementing further restrictions ahead of Chinese New Year in February.
The Straits Times/Lim Yaohui
The battle against Covid-19 this year will be fought on two fronts:
Speeding up the nationwide vaccination programme and keeping the slate of safeguards finely tuned.
This could mean implementing further restrictions ahead of Chinese New Year in February, when more social interaction is expected to take place, said Education Minister Lawrence Wong, who co-chairs the task force tackling the pandemic. He pointed out that the number of Covid-19 cases in the community has been inching up roughly two weeks after the year-end festive period.
"We are concerned that if we continue in the same sort of situation, (if) we don't do something more, then this continued creep in the cases may end up in new clusters emerging, that may be beyond our control later," Mr Wong said. "So, we are considering very carefully now whether additional measures may be necessary." He added: "Exactly what these are - whether they pertain to house visitations, what kind of measures - we are still studying. And when we are ready we will highlight them."
Singapore confirms first case of Wuhan virus
Singapore on Thursday (Jan 23) announced a confirmed case of the Wuhan virus, a new coronavirus that has sickened hundreds of people and killed at least 17.
In a media briefing on Thursday evening, the Ministry of Health said the patient is a 66-year-old Chinese man. The Wuhan resident, who arrived in Singapore with his family on Jan 20, flew from Guangzhou via China Southern flight CZ351.
He is currently in isolation at the Singapore General Hospital and is in stable condition.
COVID-19 infections in Singapore:
- 28 Dec 2020: 5 new cases, bringing total to 58,529.
- 29 Dec 2020: 13 new cases, bringing total to 58,542.
- 30 Dec 2020: 27 new cases, bringing total to 58,569.
- 31 Dec 2020: 30 new cases, bringing total to 58,599.
- 01 Jan 2021: 30 new cases, bringing total to 58,629.
- 02 Jan 2021: 33 new cases, bringing total to 58,662.
- 03 Jan 2021: 35 new cases, bringing total to 58,697.
- 04 Jan 2021: 24 new cases, bringing total to 58,721.
- 05 Jan 2021: 28 new cases, bringing total to 58,749.
- 06 Jan 2021: 31 new cases, bringing total to 58,780.
- 07 Jan 2021: 33 new cases, bringing total to 58,813.
- 08 Jan 2021: 23 new cases, bringing total to 58,836.
- 09 Jan 2021: 29 new cases, bringing total to 58,865.
- 10 Jan 2021: 42 new cases, bringing total to 58,907.
- 11 Jan 2021: 22 new cases, bringing total to 58,929.
- 12 Jan 2021: 17 new cases, bringing total to 58,946.
- 13 Jan 2021: 38 new cases, bringing total to 58,984.
- 14 Jan 2021: 45 new cases, bringing total to 59,029.
- 15 Jan 2021: 30 new cases, bringing total to 59,059.
- 16 Jan 2021: 24 new cases, bringing total to 59,083.
- 17 Jan 2021: 30 new cases, bringing total to 59,113.
- 18 Jan 2021: 14 new cases, bringing total to 59,127.
- 19 Jan 2021: 30 new cases, bringing total to 59,157.
- 20 Jan 2021: 40 new cases, bringing total to 59,197.
- 21 Jan 2021: 38 new cases, bringing total to 59,235.
- 22 Jan 2021: 15 new cases, bringing total to 59,250.
- 23 Jan 2021: 10 new cases, bringing total to 59,260.
Singapore reports deaths from COVID-19
18 Apr 2020: 95-yr-old S'porean dies, is 11th death
11 Apr 2020: 90-yr-old man becomes 8th death, 191 new cases
29 Mar 2020 Singapore reports third death from COVID-19
21 Mar 2020 Singapore reports first two coronavirus deaths
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