SINGAPORE: The number of daily COVID-19 cases in Singapore did not spike over the Chinese New Year holidays, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said on Friday (Jan 27).
In a speech at the official opening of the NTUC Health Jurong Spring nursing home, Mr Ong said that the number of cases was “quite low, (in the) low three digits”, which Singapore has not seen in a long time.
On Monday, the second day of Chinese New Year, Singapore reported 78 new COVID-19 cases. The number rose to about 500 on Thursday, consistent with spikes often seen after long weekends.
“We always brace ourselves after a long weekend,” he said. “There’s always a big spike in numbers, as well as a big spike in visits to emergency departments.
“As it turned out, it wasn’t too bad.”
He added that emergency departments “held their ground”, which was to “our great relief”.
“I know we no longer scrutinise numbers like that. But over the Chinese New Year, I looked at the numbers and the situation closely,” he said. “And I think things are stabilised.”