Singapore’s COVID ART kits released to retailers amid shortage: MOH
SINGAPORE — The government released COVID-19 antigen rapid test (ART) kits from its stockpile to retailers last week amid a shortage for them due to strong demand, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Thursday (17 February), according to media reports.
Retailers have been reported as saying in recent weeks that their kits were sold out as soon as the products hit the shelves.
"The government has built up a stockpile of ART kits to prevent and mitigate any sudden disruption in supplies globally or sudden surge in demand in Singapore," said MOH.
"When there is shortage, the government releases supplies from its stockpile to retailers. We did so last week, in response to requests from retailers."
Amid the surge in demand in Singapore and globally, retailers are working with the government to secure a “healthy supply” of kits, MOH said.
About nine million kits have been sold at retail stores since they were available for sale in pharmacies in June last year, MOH added.
Almost 25 million ART kits were sent to households during two nationwide distributions from August to September and October to December last year, with each household given 16 kits in total.
On Wednesday, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Singapore crossed the 500,000 mark with 16,883 new infections. The country now has 514,880 cases of the coronavirus disease.
Of the new infections, 16,689 are local, with 12,714 detected via ART and 3,975 via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. The remaining 194 new cases are imported.
A total of 13 COVID-19 related deaths were reported on Wednesday, bringing the death toll here to 926.
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