Singapore will be extending its existing COVID-19 restrictions for another 30 days as new cases continue to increase. The announcement also comes as health officials reported 18 new COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday, the highest daily death count reported in the country since the pandemic began.
Singapore's Ministry of Health said in a news release Thursday that the current restrictions will be extended up to Nov. 21. The ministry said the extension is necessary to help contain the spread of the virus and decrease case counts, which ballooned to more than 3,800 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday.
The ministry said that about 630 of the new cases reported on Wednesday were linked to a migrant worker dormitory, while the rest were locally transmitted. Among the 3,862 new COVID-19 cases, about two-thirds were senior citizens over the age of 60.
The ministry said that while the decision would be unfortunate for individuals and businesses, it is necessary to alleviate the pressures on the country's health care system. The ministry said hospitals are still experiencing "sustained, heavy patient loads."
Singapore's Covid-19 taskforce echoed the ministry's concerns, stating that medical staff in hospitals across the city-state are now "stretched and fatigued."
Lawrence Wong, the co-chair of the task force, said that Singapore's health care system is now being overwhelmed due to the rise in new COVID-19 cases.
After months of implementing a plan to eradicate the disease from the country under its Zero-COVID strategy, Singapore announced in June that it would instead be moving to live with the virus. Officials said they would be abandoning the strategy in favor of pushing for more vaccinations.
As of this week, around 84% of Singapore's eligible residents have been fully vaccinated and around 85% received at least one dose. Singapore currently has one of the world's highest vaccination rates.
Despite its best efforts, a resurgence of the Delta variant of the coronavirus eventually led to a spike in new cases last month. The increase in new cases forced the government to postpone its plans of lifting restrictions.
Under the current restrictions, social gatherings are capped to a maximum of two people. Residents are still encouraged to stay at home. Travel is only allowed for essentials such as buying groceries and seeking medical help.
