Singapore, October 10: Singapore reported 3,703 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, hitting a new record high and bringing the total tally in the country to 124,157.
It is the fifth consecutive day on Saturday when the daily new cases surpass 3,000 in the city-state.
Of the new cases, 2,868 were in the community, 832 were in migrant worker dormitories, and three were imported cases, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a press release.
A total of 1,569 cases are currently warded in hospitals, with 302 serious illnesses requiring oxygen supplementation, and 40 in critical condition in the intensive care units (ICUs), said the MOH.
Besides, 11 more cases have passed away from complications due to COVID-19 infection.
As of Oct. 8, 83 percent of the local population has received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines, and 85 percent has received at least one dose.
The ministry also announced on Saturday that from Oct. 10, Singapore will extend home recovery to unvaccinated persons aged 12 to 49 years, vaccinated infected persons aged 70 to 79 years, as well as children aged five to 11 years old.
To protect the unvaccinated individuals and reduce the strain on the healthcare system, Singapore will expand the Vaccination-Differentiated Safe Management Measures (VDS) for entry into shopping malls, attractions, hawker centers, and coffee shops from Oct. 13.
It means that only groups of up to two fully vaccinated persons will be allowed to dine in at all regular food and beverage establishments, and to enter shopping malls and attractions.
Meanwhile, the MOH said that with the experience gained from the Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTLs) to Brunei and Germany, the country will be extending the VTLs to eight more countries, namely Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Britain, and the United States, to enter into Singapore from Oct. 19.
It will also jointly launch VTLs with the Republic of Korea for travel between the two countries from Nov. 15.
Besides, the ministry said that Singapore will start offering booster vaccinations to healthcare workers, as well as frontline COVID-19 workers who have completed their primary series vaccination regimen around six months ago, from Oct. 9.
It is also working with various institutions to progressively roll out booster vaccinations to eligible persons in institutionalized settings, such as prisons and residential care facilities.
The MOH added that Singapore will progressively invite persons aged 30 years and above who have also completed their primary series vaccination regimen around six months ago to make an appointment for their booster dose.
Source: Xinhua