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1,178 new COVID cases, 3 more deaths reported in Singapore

People eat at a hawker centre during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Singapore September 21, 2021. REUTERS/Edgar Su
People eat at a hawker centre during the coronavirus disease outbreak in Singapore on 21 September, 2021. (PHOTO: Reuters)

SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Health (MOH) on Tuesday (21 September) confirmed 1,178 new COVID-19 cases in Singapore – taking the country's total case count to 79,899 – and three more deaths due to the disease.

Tuesday's count marks the highest daily recorded COVID-19 cases since 20 April last year, when 1,426 infections were reported.

The city-state's 63rd through 65th fatalities from COVID-19 are a Singaporean woman and two Singaporean men, aged 62, 74, and 83, respectively.

The woman, who died on Monday, tested positive for COVID-19 on 23 July and was admitted to the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital the next day. She had not been vaccinated against COVID-19, and had a history of hypertension and high cholesterol.

The younger man, who died on Sunday, was admitted to the Tan Tock Seng Hospital on 31 August for an unrelated medical condition and had tested negative for COVID-19 upon his admission. Another test taken on 9 September came back positive. The man had been partially vaccinated, and had a history of chronic kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and high cholesterol.

The older man, who died on Monday, was conveyed to the Ng Teng Fong General Hospital on 15 September with symptoms, and tested positive for COVID-19 on the same day. He had been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The man also had a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, recurrent aspiration pneumonia, hypertension, and high cholesterol "which, together with his advanced age, made him more susceptible to severe illness", said the MOH.

Of Tuesday's 1,178 cases, 1,173 are local infections: 1,038 are in the community, while 135 are dormitory residents. Among the local cases are 311 people above the age of 60, said the MOH.

The remaining five cases are imported, of whom three were detected upon their arrival in Singapore, while two developed the illness during their stay-home notice or isolation period.

Nine active COVID-19 clusters in Singapore, including one linked to Pfizer Asia Pacific, are being closely monitored, said the MOH.

Of the list of monitored clusters, the highest number of 10 new cases – already quarantined – was added to a cluster at Blue Stars dorm.

The cluster now has 133 cases infected by an "intra-dormitory transmission" among residents, said the MOH.

One new case – already quarantined – was also added to a cluster at LearnJoy Education Centre. The cluster now has 10 cases infected by a "transmission amongst staff and students".

Of them, one is a staff member while nine are students.

Daily new cases in Singapore are expected to rise to 2,000 by early October, if the current rate of infection persists, authorities here have said.

147 require oxygen supplementation; 17 in ICU

Over 66,600 cases in Singapore, or some 99 per cent of the overall total, have fully recovered from their infection and have been discharged from the hospital.

As of Tuesday, 1,109 cases are currently warded, most of whom are well and under observation.

There are currently 147 cases of serious illness requiring oxygen supplementation and 17 in critical condition in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Of those who have fallen very ill, 135 are patients above the age of 60, said the MOH.

Apart from the 65 patients who have died from COVID-19 complications, 15 others who tested positive for the virus were determined to have died from unrelated causes, including three whose deaths were attributed to a heart attack and another four whose deaths were attributed to coronary heart disease.

Over the last 28 days, the percentage of local cases who were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms is 97.9 per cent. Over the same period, 243 cases required oxygen supplementation, 23 had been in the ICU, and eight died.

As of Monday, about 8.98 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered under the national vaccination programme. Some 4.58 million have received at least one dose of the vaccine, with some 4.46 million having completed the full vaccination regimen.

Separately, 184,864 doses of other vaccines recognised in the World Health Organization’s Emergency Use Listing (WHO EUL) have been administered as of Monday, covering 87,125 individuals.

This means that 82 per cent of the population have completed their full regimen, or received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines, and 84 per cent have received at least one dose.

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