Covid-19 Surge in Singapore, Hong Kong, No Need to Panic in India
NEW DELHI, May 18: After a period of relative calm, Covid-19 infections are once again surging in densely populated financial hubs of Hong Kong and Singapore. The surge in cases has signalled a resurgent wave across Asia.
According to the health authorities, the increase in infections are likely because of waning population level immunity to the infection and fewer elderly getting their booster shots.
Singapore is on high alert as the estimated number of Covid-19 cases in the week ending on May 3 went up to 14,200 from 11,100 a week before. Daily hospitalisations also saw a roughly 30% increase.
While factors such as waning population immunity could be contributing to the increase, Singapore’s health ministry stated that there was currently “no indication that the circulating variants are more transmissible — or cause more severe cases — than during the pandemic.”
The health authority added that LF.7 and NB.1.8 — both descendants of JN.1 variant that is used in new Covid-19 vaccines — were circulating in the country. These newer vaccines are unavailable in India.
In Hong Kong, the virus has surged to a “quite high” level, according to Albert Au, head of the Communicable Disease Branch at the city’s Centre for Health Protection. The percentage of respiratory samples testing positive has reached its highest point in a year, accompanied by a rise in severe cases and fatalities. In the week ending May 3, as many as 31 deaths were reported, marking a one-year high.
Although the current wave hasn’t hit the peaks seen in previous years, rising viral loads in sewage samples and increased Covid-related hospital visits and consultations point to widespread community transmission in the densely populated city of over 7 million.
It has also seen an increase in Sars-CoV-2 viral load in sewage samples and an increase in respiratory samples testing positive for Covid-19, increasing to 13.66% in the week ending on May 10 as compared to 6.21 per cent four weeks ago,
While the likelihood of a severe wave in India is minimal, staying alert remains a wise precaution, virologists and health experts said.
Indian experts advise that there is no cause for panic, as the population largely has immunity against severe Covid-19. However, mild infections can still occur, often resembling common cold or flu symptoms. Therefore, it remains important to follow time-tested precautions during periods of active virus circulation — especially protecting children, the elderly, and those with underlying health conditions.
(Manas Dasgupta)
