COVID-19 | Singaporeans strongly encouraged to wear face mask following spike in cases
The Hindu
As Singapore’s COVID-19 cases continue to rise, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said it “strongly encourages” people to wear a face mask in crowded places even if they are not ill, especially indoors or when visiting vulnerable people.
As Singapore's COVID-19 cases continue to rise, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said it "strongly encourages" people to wear a face mask in crowded places even if they are not ill, especially indoors or when visiting vulnerable people.
The Ministry said on December 15 that the estimated number of COVID-19 cases from December 3 to 9 increased to 56,043, a 75% jump compared with 32,035 cases in the previous week.
The average daily COVID-19 hospitalisations rose from 225 to 350. The average daily cases in the intensive care unit rose from four to nine, Channel News Asia reported. The vast majority of cases are infected by the JN.1 variant, a sublineage of BA.2.86.
"Based on the available international and local data, there is currently no clear indication that BA.2.86 or JN.1 are more transmissible or cause more severe disease than other circulating variants," MOH said in a media release.
Urging the public to exercise personal and social responsibility, the Ministry said people who are unwell with acute respiratory infection symptoms should stay at home and avoid contact with others.
It added that those who are travelling should wear a mask at the airport, purchase travel insurance and avoid crowded areas with poor ventilation.
"We urge the public to seek medical treatment at a hospital's emergency department only for serious or life-threatening emergencies," stressed the Ministry.
The 29th edition of the Conference of Parties (COP29), held at Baku in Azerbaijan, is arguably the most important of the United Nations’ climate conferences. It was supposed to conclude on November 22, after nearly 11 days of negotiations and the whole purpose was for the world to take a collective step forward in addressing rising carbon emissions.