Singapore, Sep 20 Singapore on Sunday reported 1,012 new cases of Covid-19 infection, bringing the total tally in the country to 77,804.
Of the new cases, 919 were in the community, 90 in migrant worker dormitories and three were imported cases, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a press release of Ministry of Health (MOH).
A total of 873 Covid-19 cases are currently warded in hospitals. There are currently 118 cases of serious illness requiring oxygen supplementation, and 21 in critical condition in the ICU, said the MOH.
As of Saturday, 82 per cent of the local population has completed two doses of Covid-19 vaccines, and 84 per cent has received at least one dose, according to the MOH.
The ministry also announced on Sunday that it is setting up new community care facilities that provide clinical care to Covid-19 patients who are stable, have mild symptoms and/or are generally clinically well but have underlying conditions that require closer monitoring of their disease course.
This move is taken as Covid-19 cases increase in the country. It is expected to augment Singapore's hospital capacity, so that only those who actually need close and specialized medical attention, such as oxygen supplementation and intensive care, receive their medical care in the hospitals.
Singapore's ICU capacity is still holding up, but the hospitals' accident and emergency departments and general wards are coming under pressure, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung in a Facebook post on Sunday.
"Our hospitals and healthcare workers cannot be overburdened," he said. "At this point, this is MOH's biggest challenge and we are doing our best to solve this."
"That is why we are encouraging younger, fully vaccinated people to recover from home, and admit patients to community care facilities instead of hospitals, and also setting up more community care facilities, which will be ready this coming week," Ong added.
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