S’pore doctor sees 30% more flu cases amid cooling rainy weather

As temperatures drop amid the monsoon surge in Singapore these past few weeks, more people have begun falling sick, with a Singapore doctor reporting 30 to 40 per cent increase in patients suffering from colds and flu.

Elderly seeking treatment for rheumatism also increased by 30 per cent.

More elderly also sought treatment

Lim Chee Sem, Medical Director at CareDoc Medical Clinic in Ang Mo Kio told Shin Min Daily News that six out of ten patients tend to have influenza A or B.

30 per cent more elderly also sought treatment for rheumatism due to the cold weather.

"When the weather is cold, the blood vessels of the elderly tend to constrict, causing muscle pain," Lim explained.

Zhao Ge, a doctor at a TCM clinic in Yishun, said the number of elderly people seeking medical treatment also increased by 10 per cent.

She added number of patients suffering from colds and flu was 30 to 40 per cent more than usual, as the sickness often spreads within families, where a child may pass their sickness onto their mother, and later grandparents.

Zhao also said the heavy humid weather has also caused some patients with poor gastrointestinal function to experience loose stools.

Chen Mei, a senior Chinese medicine practitioner, said the weather has also led to a 10 per cent increase in patients seeking treatment for headaches.

Data by the Ministry of Health showed there was a nearly 10 per cent increase in patients seeking treatment for Acute Upper Respiratory Infections in 2025 when compared to the same period in 2024.

The average daily number of patients was 2,714 from Jan. 5 to 11, 2025, while the number was 2,491 for the same period last year.

Chinese medical practitioners advised the public to avoid getting their heads wet in the rain when going out and to avoid opening the windows in their homes too wide to maintain a warm indoor temperature.

Zhao also advised people with cold constitutions to drink ginger tea or ginger soup to avoid catching a cold.

Two monsoon surges hit Singapore

Since the beginning of the year, two monsoon surges have hit Singapore.

The surges have brought about wet and windy conditions, occasional thundery showers, and temperatures of around 22 degrees Celsius.

Short thundery showers are expected in the second half of the month with above-average rainfall.

The cooler conditions result from a surge of north-easterly winds over the South China Sea, NEA said.

PUB said on Facebook that high tides of up to 3.2 metres are expected, which could lead to higher risk of flooding in coastal areas.

The agency advised the public to check flood risks and sign up for free flood alerts on the myENV app or PUB's Telegram channel.

Top image via Canva