Singapore's daily Covid-19 cases hit record of more than 26,000

 

An elderly resident arrives to get tested at a temporary swab centre set up at the void deck area on the ground floor of a public housing block, after a few positive Covid-19 coronavirus cases were detected in the building, in Singapore on May 21, 2021. - AFP FILE PIC

SINGAPORE: Singapore's health ministry reported a record 26,032 Covid-19 infections on Tuesday and said it may take a few weeks before the current transmission wave peaks and subsides.

"While the number of patients needing oxygen supplementation and intensive care unit (ICU) care is not high, there is a surge in demand for hospital beds, mostly for patients with underlying chronic illnesses to recover," the health ministry said in a statement on Tuesday evening.

It reiterated that people with mild or no symptoms who had tested positive should consider self-recovery at home to reduce the pressure on healthcare workers.

Of the nearly 294,000 cases over the last 28 days, 99.7% had mild or no symptoms.

About 91% of Singapore's 5.5 million population have been fully vaccinated, with a further 66% receiving a booster jab.--REUTERS