Singapore records 6,888 new Covid-19 cases

There were 6,888 new Covid-19 infections on Tuesday, a jump from the 2,587 new local cases the day before.

There is usually a spike in case numbers on Tuesdays, due to people socialising over the weekend.

The increase comes days after the return of the F1 Singapore Grand Prix that attracted more than 300,000 people over the weekend. The race was not held in the last two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In response to queries, infectious diseases expert Leong Hoe Nam said the increase was rather dramatic and could have been due to the festivities at the race. He said: "If you project the increase in numbers over the past two weeks, Tuesday's should be at around 5,000 plus, rather than 6,888.

"I guess everyone was simply mask down and bottoms up with infection cases rising subsequently."

However, infectious diseases expert Paul Tambyah said the incubation period for even new variants of the virus is between three and four days, and those infected on Saturday and Sunday were unlikely to be testing positive yet.

Another likely reason for the spike is the large number of people now moving in and out of the country, not just for F1, added Professor Tambyah, who is president of the Asia Pacific Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infection.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) said the higher number of cases has, so far, not led to more severe disease or had a significant impact on Singapore's healthcare system. The BA.2.75 variant also does not appear to be more dangerous, it added.

The week-on-week infection ratio was at 1.56, and over the last 28 days, 68,891 people had tested positive. Of these, 99.8 per cent of them had mild or no symptoms, MOH said.

Dr Leong said this trend is normal and each new variant will bring a spike in numbers before the situation settles again.

He said, so far, most people are reporting only a mild cough and sore throat and perhaps, a fever that will last for a few days.

"As long as the hospitalised or intensive care case numbers do not spike significantly, it is acceptable," he added.

The MOH website on Tuesday said 286 people were in hospital, up from 257 the day before. There were 11 people in the intensive care unit and 28 on oxygen supplementation.

Prof Tambyah said: "The authorities need to have the confidence to press on with the current approach which seems to be in line with global trends and has not led to any major health crises in other settings."