Singapore crosses half-million COVID total with 16,883 new cases; 13 more deaths

SINGAPORE — The total number of COVID-19 cases in Singapore crossed the 500,000 mark on Wednesday (16 February) with 16,883 new infections, down from 19,420 a day before.

The country now has 514,880 cases of the novel coronavirus disease.

Of the new infections, 16,689, or some 99 per cent, are local – 12,714 were detected via antigen rapid tests (ART) and 3,975 via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests.

The remaining 194 new cases are imported. Of them, 53 were detected via ART while 141 were detected via PCR tests.

A total of 13 COVID-19 related deaths were also reported on Wednesday, bringing the death toll here to 926.

The weekly infection growth rate – or ratio of community cases for the past week over the week before – was 1.29, down from 1.34 the day before. A figure of over one means that the number of new weekly cases is on the rise.

A total of 9,453 cases were discharged, while 1,352 remain warded, down from 1,355 hospitalised cases on Tuesday. This marks the 12th day in a row such cases have crossed the 1,000 mark.

Of those still hospitalised, 153 require oxygen supplementation, while 35 are in the intensive care unit (ICU).

The MOH did not provide Wednesday's overall ICU utilisation rate. Over the last 28 days, of the 206,299 infected individuals, 99.7 per cent had no or mild symptoms.

As of Tuesday, the total number of individuals who have completed their full vaccination regimen is 94 per cent of the eligible population.

Among the total population, 90 per cent have done so, while 92 per cent have received at least one dose, and 64 per cent have received their booster shots.

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