Singapore reports record-high 26,032 new COVID-19 cases in Singapore on Feb 22

The Ministry of Health (MOH) reported a record 26,032 new COVID-19 cases in Singapore on Tuesday (Feb 22).

Singapore now has 622,293 COVID-19 cases, less than a week after it crossed the 500,000 mark on Feb 16. The previous daily high of 19,420 cases was recorded on Feb 15.

Of the cases reported, 3,166 were detected through Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests. Of these, 3,096 were local cases. 

Another 22,705 cases were detected through Antigen Rapid Tests (ART) and assessed by a doctor to have mild symptoms and of low risk. Of these, 22,635 were local cases. 

In total, there were 25,731 local transmission cases.

The weekly COVID-19 infection growth rate decreased to 1.57, down from 1.62 on Monday. The growth rate refers to the ratio of community cases for the past week over the week before and a weekly infection growth rate above one indicates an increasing number of new weekly cases.

Four deaths related to COVID-19 were reported on Tuesday, taking the national death toll to 956. 

There were 1,608 cases hospitalised on Tuesday, up slightly from 1,606 the day before. Of these, 190 cases require oxygen supplementation and 46 cases are in the Intensive Care Unit.

There were also 17,163 cases discharged from the hospital over the past day.

In the last 28 days, 293,732 cases have been recorded, of which 99.7 per cent had no or mild symptoms and 0.2 per cent have required oxygen supplementation.

As of Feb 21, 94 per cent of the eligible population and 91 per cent of the total population are fully vaccinated, 92 per cent have received at least one dose and 66 per cent have received boosters.

MOH announced new measures to help ease the strain on the healthcare system on Feb 22 in light of the record number of cases.

From Feb 25 to Mar 10, selected Public Health Preparedness Clinics (PHPCs) will open up to 11pm on weekdays, between 2pm and 5pm on weekend afternoons and up to 11pm on weekend nights. Selected polyclinics will also be open on Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings. 

Combined test centres will also provide telemedicine consultations for symptomatic members of the public who come for testing during the weekends starting Feb 26.

Telemedicine doctors will provide face-to-face video consultations and prescribe and deliver medications. Testing and consultations will be funded by the Government during this period, said MOH.

COVID-19 patients will also be able to have a supervised self-administered ART at Quick Test Centres (QTC) as of Feb 15, having their infection record updated on HealthHub within 30 minutes. 

The supervised ARTs will be fully funded by the Government from Feb 16 to Mar 15, announced Minister of Health Ong Ye Kung on Feb 15.