Singapore's COVID crisis worsened this week as cases jumped to a record high and the death toll reached 85 as five more elderly people died from complications.
The Singapore Ministry of Health (MOH) reported a record 2,236 new COVID-19 cases as of noon yesterday.
The new infections include 2,226 local cases, comprising 1,711 in the community and 515 among dormitory residents. Of these local cases, 483 were seniors above the age of 60.
There were also 10 imported cases, said MOH in a media update.
All five fatalities were Singaporean. Four were men aged 69, 73, 74 and 79 while one was a 77-year-old woman. All of them had various underlying medical conditions, added MOH. There have been 30 deaths in September so far, a new monthly record.
The Center for Disease Control in the US raised the COVID travel advisory level for Singapore from level 2 to level 3.
“Because of the current situation in Singapore, all travelers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants,” the agency said. It recommended that individuals be fully vaccinated before travelling to Singapore.
The US State Department also revised its advisory for Singapore to Level 3, recommending citizens “reconsider travel". The city-state was previously classified as Level 2, which suggests travelers should “exercise increased caution,” due to COVID-19.
As of Monday, 82 per cent of Singapore's population have completed their full vaccination regimen or received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines, while 85 per cent have received at least one dose.
More than 9 million doses have been administered under the national vaccination programme, with more than 4.48 million people completing the full vaccination regimen.