News

910 New COVID-19 Cases Reported On 16 Sep; 803 Community Cases & One New COVID-19 Death

2021-09-17 , 7:36 am

With every passing day, we’re getting closer and closer to that 1,000-mark for new COVID-19 cases that was predicted by the authorities last week.

And with such numbers comes an increased likelihood of patients needing hospitalisation.

Sadly, not all those who are treated will make it, as a portion of those who are unvaccinated and have underlying medical conditions will end up succumbing to the disease.

72YO Dies From COVID-19 Complications

A 72-year-old woman has died from COVID-19 complications yesterday, making her the 59th COVID-19 fatality in Singapore.

The woman developed symptoms on 4 Sep and tested positive for the disease two days later.

According to the Ministry of Health (MOH), she had a history of atypical chest pain, Graves’ disease, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. She was not vaccinated against the disease.

906 Locally Transmitted Cases

906 locally transmitted cases were reported yesterday (16 Sep), 803 of whom are from the community.

The remaining 103 infections are from migrant workers’ dormitories.

Among the local cases, 244 are seniors above the age of 60.

In addition, four imported cases were recorded; three were detected upon arrival, and one developed the illness during their quarantine.

In total, 910 cases were reported yesterday, our highest daily case count since 1 May last year.

New Large Cluster Found in Dorm

A large cluster has formed at Blue Stars Dormitory, which is located in the Jurong industrial zone.

It currently has 53 cases.

MOH is testing all residents of the dorm as there is intra-dormitory transmission, it said.

Existing Clusters Continue to Grow

Several of our active clusters grew as well, the fastest-growing being the cluster linked to Chinatown Complex.

With 17 new cases, it now has a total of 242 infections, made up of 183 stallholders and assistants, eight cleaners or safe distancing ambassadors, 50 household contacts of workers, and one patron.

The clusters linked to Ren Ci Nursing Home and Orange Valley Nursing Home grew as well: Ren Ci now has a total of 34 cases, while the latter has 14 infections.

Three of the eight active clusters linked to bus interchange staff became bigger as well. They are:

Toa Payoh Bus Interchange staff – two new cases, 234 in total
Tampines Bus Interchange staff – nine new cases, 121 in total
Punggol Bus Interchange staff – three new cases, 58 in total

While these bus interchange clusters are still growing, there’s no evidence of spread to commuters yet, MOH said.

837 in Hospital; 12 in ICU

At present, there are 837 COVID-19 cases warded in hospital, most of whom are well and under observation.

77 severe cases require oxygen supplementation, and 12 are in critical condition in the ICU.

Of these 89 cases, 69 are seniors above the age of 60.

Currently, 82% of our population has been fully vaccinated. 84% have received at least one dose.

Seniors Advised to Minimise Social Interactions

With our daily case count approaching that 1,000-mark, more and more vulnerable seniors are bound to contract the disease and could fall severely ill if unvaccinated.

This is why the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) advised those above the age of 60 to minimise their social interactions for the next two weeks.

They should stay at home as much as possible and stay away from crowded places. If they need to go out, they should wear a mask properly at all times and maintain good hygiene.

The agency also urged seniors to get vaccinated, saying the risk for those who don’t get jabbed is “six times higher” than inoculated individuals.