355 new COVID-19 cases and one death in Singapore

SINGAPORE: Singapore reported 355 new COVID-19 cases and one fatality as of noon on Thursday (Dec 16).

This takes the country's death toll from coronavirus complications to 808.

The weekly infection growth rate is 0.60, falling from Wednesday's 0.62. This refers to the ratio of community cases for the past week over the week before.

The growth rate has remained below 1 since Nov 13. A figure below 1 means that the number of new weekly COVID-19 cases is falling.

Thursday's case count is down from the 474 infections reported on Wednesday.

A total of 324 cases reported on Thursday are locally transmitted, comprising 315 in the community and nine in migrant workers' dormitories.

The remaining 31 cases are imported, according to the latest infection statistics on the Ministry of Health's (MOH) website.

As of Thursday, Singapore has recorded 274,972 COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic.

HOSPITALISATIONS AND VACCINATIONS

The intensive care unit (ICU) utilisation rate is at 45.7 per cent, down from the 49.9 per cent reported on Wednesday. 

There are 504 patients in hospital, with 68 requiring oxygen supplementation.

In the ICU, four patients require close monitoring while 30 patients are critically ill.

As of Wednesday, 96 per cent of Singapore's eligible population - those aged 12 and above - have completed their full vaccination regimen.

About 32 per cent of the total population have received their booster shots.