Singapore (VNA) – New COVID-19 infections in Singapore surged following the Lunar New Year festival to 13,046 on February 4, more than tripling the figure recorded a day earlier, reported its Health Ministry.
Most of them were local transmissions and there were only 162 imported cases. The same day, six deaths were recorded while 998 patients were under treatment in hospitals, 96 of them needed oxygen support and 15 were in intensive care unit (ICU).
Singapore has so far logged 379,681 cases, including 866 fatalities.
About 92 percent of the population eligible for vaccination in Singapore have been fully vaccinated, with 59 percent already getting the third shots.
Earlier on February 3, the ministry said the Health Sciences Authority has approved the use of Pfizer’s Paxlovid oral pills for the treatment of COVID-19 in adult patients who are at risk of turning severe. Paxlovid has been found to reduce the risk of COVID-19 related hospitalisation or death by 88.9 percent when treatment is given within three days of the onset of symptoms./.