Average COVID-19 Community Cases Have Tripled & Unlinked Cases Doubled But Situation is Still ‘Under Control’

It’s exactly one week since Phase One started.

How’s Singapore’s Covid-19 situation looking so far?

Well, if you’re here to look for good news, just skip the next part and go straight to the bottom.

But if you’re here for some cold, hard truths, read on:

Average COVID-19 Community Cases Have Tripled & Unlinked Cases Doubled 

According to the Ministry of Health’s 8 June News Highlights, numbers for the two most important figures have increased:

• The average number of new cases in the community have tripled, from 3 in the previous week to 9 over the past week.
• The average number of unlinked cases has also doubled, from 2 in the previous week to 4 over the past week

So there you are, wondering, is it because Singapore is reopening and we’re seeing the coronavirus spread rampantly again?

Are we all gonna die?!

Most importantly: is Phase 2 just a dream?!

A Logical Explanation

On 8 June, the multi-ministry task force explained why community cases are rising, and it’s all because of one word: proactive screening

Reader Bao: That’s two.

Yeah, but the important word here is proactive.

Basically, this means that instead of testing on people that are showing symptoms, they are testing on people who looks fine on the outside.

So instead of waiting for cases to show up (and potentially infect more while they’re undetected), the authorities are running tests on older students, pre-school staff as well as the staff and residents of senior homes.

In fact, most community cases found over the past week were from proactive screening, the task force pointed out.

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Situation Still Under Control Here

So take a deep breath and relax because for once, the higher the numbers (as long as it’s due to proactive screening), it means that more cases are being prevented.

The authorities have extended active case-finding to even more people.

For seniors 65 years and above, healthcare workers, and staff members of educational institutions and older students, they will be tested the moment they see a doctor for acute respiratory infections (ARI).

Previously, people will only be tested if they have prolonged infection (read: after 5 days’ MC).

They will continue monitoring the situation over the coming week and later this month, reveal when Singapore will enter Phase Two.

More Swabbing Centres, Reason For Why Test Numbers Vary Every Day

In the same conference, it was revealed that more swabbing centres are being set up.

Which is good because, one, this means more tests, more proactive screening and lesser transmission; and two, more jobs for assistant swabbers and swabbers.

The swabbing centres include those set up by the Health Promotion Board (HBP) and ones set up in collaboration with private firms.

In another piece of good news, remember the laboratory that produced false-positive results? The issue there has been resolved.

If you look at the daily Covid-19 cases figures on a daily basis, you’ll come to realise that every day, a different number of tests are being run.

Sometimes, it can be a large number while other times, fewer tests were done.

The task force clarifies that the number of tests being conducted varies according to the size of the dormitories that they are testing that day.

“The number does vary, sometimes from a larger number in one day, and a smaller number another day. We have not changed our testing tempo.”

You can watch their full conference below: