Daily new cases in Singapore forecast to hit 20,000

Collecting samples for COVID-19 testing in Singapore. (Photo: AFP/VNA)

Singapore (VNA) - The number of new COVID-19 cases in Singapore may reach 15,000-20,000 per day, given that the Omicron variant is highly transmissible, Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung has said.

He added that the recent rise in COVID-19 cases was predictable.

Singapore reported 10,505 new COVID-19 cases on February 12, marking the fourth day last week that daily infections had exceeded the 10,000 mark. It also reported eight deaths linked to the virus, the highest rate in the past two months.

Despite the increase, Ong noted that the city-state's healthcare system is still holding up.

According to the minister, the number of patients that require oxygen remains at 0.3 percent. The number of patients that needed ICU or unfortunately passed away is about 0.05 percent.

As of February 12, Singapore had recorded 460,075 COVID-19 cases and 893 deaths linked to the virus since the start of the pandemic./.

VNA