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There has been a 35 per cent to 40 per cent week-on-week increase in the number of daily Covid-19 cases in Singapore over the past few days, said the Ministry of Health (MOH).

This translates to 900 to 1,000 more cases every day.

MOH said in a statement on Friday (Sep. 30) that thus far, there has been no indication that the increase in Covid-19 cases has led to more severe diseases.

There has also been no significant impact on Singapore's healthcare system due to the higher number of daily infections.

Reasons for higher number of cases

Increased reinfections

According to MOH, the proportion of reinfections has increased from about 6 per cent of all reported cases from the beginning of September 2022, to about 10 per cent this week.

Notwithstanding this, reinfections account for "only a small proportion of the rise in cases" and are not the main driver for the higher number of cases.

Increased infections by Omicron variant BA.2.75

MOH said there is an increase in infections by the Omicron variant BA.2.75, which account for about a quarter of all daily infections.

The BA.2.75 variant has been around for some time, and has been detected in many countries including Australia, China, Europe, India, Malaysia and the United States.

It is now circulating more widely in Singapore due to social mixing and gatherings, and relaxing of masking rules.

This is most likely the main reason for the increase in cases, said MOH.

However, there has been no evidence of increased disease severity associated with BA.2.75 in the international literature or in the local context.

Cases expected to increase over next few weeks

MOH said over the next few weeks, the number of cases in Singapore is expected to be higher.

The ministry will continue to monitor the situation closely.

It added in its statement:

"In the meantime, we urge those who have not received their booster shots to do so. Individuals will need three shots of mRNA vaccine or four shots of Sinovac-CoronaVac to be adequately protected against the current variants of Covid-19.

Members of the public are also encouraged to continue to exercise personal and social responsibility and caution, such as wearing masks when in crowded places, or when visiting or interacting with vulnerable persons. Individuals who are unwell should continue to stay at home and avoid going out. If they feel unwell when out or in the workplace, they should go home immediately to rest or see a doctor."

Top image by Zheng Zhangxin.