Singapore Encourages Masks Amid COVID-19 Surge: What's Happening in South Asia?

The spike is attributed to the JN.1 subvariant of Omicron, which is also the reason behind the surge in Kerala.

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Singapore has recorded a sharp spike in COVID-19 cases since the beginning of December, forcing the country to issue a travel advisory. The spike has been attributed to the JN.1 subvariant of Omicron, which is also said to be the reason behind the surge of cases in Kerala.

The numbers: At least 56,043 cases were reported in the first week of December in Singapore, with the daily average COVID hospitalisations rising to 350 from 225 every week.

You should know: Singapore has "strongly encouraged" people to wear face masks in crowded places.

• The health ministry has also encouraged people to wear masks while coming in contact with other 'unwell people' and when interacting with 'vulnerable populations'.

• The government has asked people to avoid crowded areas with poor ventilation.

"To preserve our healthcare capacity, MOH has been working with public hospitals for contingency planning, including ensuring adequate manpower and deferring of non-urgent electives to maximise bed capacity for urgent cases in need of acute care," the ministry said.

Situation in other countries: Singapore is not the only South Asian country asking citizens to take precautions.

The Indonesian government has urged citizens to postpone travel to areas reporting a spike in COVID-19 cases. It has also called for people to "complete their two-dose vaccination, wear masks and wash their hands and stay home should they fall sick."

Malaysia, meanwhile, has witnessed a doubling of COVID-19 cases. From 3,626 cases, its tally rose to 6,796 in the first week of December. The government has maintained that the the situation is under control and isn't burdening healthcare facilities.