Singapore reports 19,420 new COVID-19 cases, 7 deaths

SINGAPORE: Singapore reported 19,420 new COVID-19 cases as of noon on Tuesday (Feb 15), comprising 19,179 local and 241 imported infections.

This is the highest number of new infections reported in a day since the Ministry of Health (MOH) began including Protocol 2 cases in its daily updates on Jan 21. The previous high was 13,208 cases, reported on Feb 4.

There were also seven fatalities recorded on Tuesday, taking the death toll from coronavirus complications to 913.

The weekly infection growth rate is 1.34, down from Monday's 1.39, according to the latest infection statistics on the MOH website.

Among the new cases, 16,161 are Protocol 2 infections, comprising 16,102 local cases and 59 imported ones. Protocol 2 cases are those who are well or assessed to have a mild condition.

Another 3,259 cases were confirmed via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, with 182 of them being imported infections. 

As of Tuesday, Singapore has recorded 497,997 COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic.

HOSPITALISATIONS AND VACCINATIONS

There are 1,355 patients in hospital. A total of 140 require oxygen supplementation, down from Monday's figure of 147.

Twenty-three patients are in the intensive care unit, the same as on Monday.

As of Monday, 94 per cent of Singapore's eligible population have completed their full vaccination regimen under the national vaccination programme.

About 64 per cent of the total population have received their vaccine booster shots.