No changes to Covid-19 curbs for now given high number of daily local cases: MOH

SINGAPORE - There will be no changes to safe management measures for now, given the high number of daily local Covid-19 cases in the past week, but the authorities are monitoring the situation.

The Ministry of Health (MOH), in a statement on Friday (March 4), said that the number of hospitalised cases remains high, and that healthcare workers are still under significant pressure.

"(Thus), although the measures are largely streamlining in nature and not expected to significantly increase transmission risk or affect our epidemic situation, we will hold back the streamlining of measures for a while more, in solidarity with our healthcare workers," the statement said.

The multi-ministry task force tackling Covid-19 on Feb 24 said it would consolidate the changes to streamline safe management measures and implement them at a later date.

MOH said this was because of the extensive work involved in going through the detailed rules across different settings, as well as the surge in Covid-19 cases.

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It added that the weekly infection growth rate has dropped below one in the past two days, which suggests that the current epidemic wave may have peaked.

"We will continue to monitor the situation closely, with the hope that the situation will soon enable the streamlining of measures to take effect and pave the way for further easing of measures thereafter," it said.

On Thursday, there were 18,162 new Covid-19 cases in Singapore, and 1,685 patients in hospital. The number of patients in the intensive care unit rose slightly to 53, up from 51 the day before.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.