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Rumours that the XBB Omicron subvariant has caused a "rapid and large increase in cases with severe illness and deaths" are false, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a statement on Oct. 11.

These rumours were circulating via WhatsApp, said MOH.

MOH is initiating Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) action against these falsehoods.

MOH stated that although there has been an increase in local cases driven by the subvariant, including the post-weekend spike on Tuesday, the number of severe cases has remained "relatively low".

"This is very likely due to the resilience built up through vaccination and previous waves of infection," MOH added.

The ministry is monitoring the trajectory closely.

Additionally, there is also no evidence of XBB Omicron subvariant causing more severe illness.

Thus far, the "large majority" of patients continue to report mild symptoms such as sore throat or slight fever, especially if they have been vaccinated, said the ministry.

Cases during peak of Delta and Omicron waves much higher

As of Oct. 11, there are 11 ICU cases and 50 who need oxygen supplementation. This is just slightly higher than the level observed in the past few months.

In comparison, there were 171 ICU cases and 308 that required oxygen supplementation at the peak of the previous Delta wave, and 54 ICU cases and 242 that required oxygen supplementation at the peak of the Omicron wave.

The increase in hospitalised cases is in line with the overall increase in cases, said MOH.

There are currently 490 hospitalised cases compared to 1,600 at the peak of the Delta wave and about 800 at the peak of the Omicron wave.

As Singapore hospitals’ Emergency Departments (ED) continue to be very busy, MOH encourages members of the public not to rush to the ED unless they are experiencing an emergency medical condition.

Patients who walk into EDs with non-emergency conditions, including children, will be diverted to other urgent care clinics or primary care clinics for further assessment, so as to prioritise ED resources for patients who need the medical care.

More about the XBB Omicron subvariant

The XBB subvariant is also known as BA.2.10.

It has been found in Australia, Bangladesh, Denmark, India, Japan, and the U.S. since August 2022.

Health minister Ong Ye Kung said in a media doorstop on Oct. 11 that the number of XBB cases "is rising very fast" in Singapore, and that it now makes up over half of all daily cases here.

"But so far, what is good is that there has been no evidence that it leads to more severe outcomes. So we are watching it very closely and we will update the public when we have more news," he added.

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Top photo by Zheng Zhangxin