By Anas Abu Hassan
SINGAPORE, May 21 (Bernama) -- Singapore recorded a jump in COVID-19 infections, with 12,700 cases reported in the week of May 10 to 16, compared to 8,000 cases in the preceding week, according to the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA).
In a statement, CDA said it is monitoring the increasing cases as average daily COVID-19 hospitalisations also rose from 56 to 73 cases, with one daily case in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
"The increase in cases could be due to several factors, including waning population immunity.
"The NB.1.8.1 variant (a descendant of the JN.1 variant) is the main COVID-19 variant circulating in Singapore, accounting for more than half of locally sequenced cases," it said on Thursday.
According to CDA, the public acute hospitals are able to manage the increase in cases as current COVID-19 vaccine continues to be effective for protection against the current variant.
The agency affirmed that periodic COVID-19 waves are expected throughout the year, similar to other endemic respiratory diseases.
"There is no indication that the variants circulating locally are more transmissible or cause more severe disease compared to previously circulating variants," it added.
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