调控政策影响:租金或上升,大众市场公寓需求稳定

随着最近楼市调控政策实施,外国人的额外购房者印花税(ABSD)翻倍,新加坡公民和永久居民的税率也有所提高。房地产分析师预测,这将导致租金价格上升。原因包括外国人可能会选择租房而非购房,以及部分组屋业主在升级至私人住宅前选择出租以避免支付额外印花税。

政府在周三(4月26日)晚间宣布了自2011年首次推出ABSD以来的最高税率调整。购买本地任何住宅的外国人需要支付房产购买价格的60%,高于之前的30%。新加坡公民购买第二套住宅时,需要支付20%的额外印花税,高于之前的17%。

有关部门表示,新加坡和国外的投资者对房地产的需求正在增长,此次楼市调控政策旨在促进房地产市场的可持续发展。分析师认为,房屋租金可能会上涨,但也有人认为租金上涨可能会在本年度下半年放缓,因为新住宅单位的大量涌入可能会减缓租房需求。

对于有意购买私人住宅的人来说,分析师表示,最新的楼市调控政策不会影响大众市场公寓的销售。这是因为大部分购房者是首次购房者,不受较高的ABSD影响。某房地产中介公司的一位分析师表示,其内部数据显示,仅有1.5%的交易涉及外国人。

分析师预测,随着ABSD提高,市场变化将立即发生,房价增长也将放缓。根据历史数据,在调整总债务偿还比例(TDSR)后,房价从未下降。TDSR规定,包括住房贷款在内的所有债务义务不能超过个人收入的55%。

ABSD上调会导致租金价格上涨的原因是,一些外国人可能会认为60%的税率过高,因此选择在获得公民或永久居民资格前先租房。这将增加租房需求,从而推高租金价格。此外,组屋业主可能会在升级至私人住宅前短期出租,以避免支付ABSD。一些打算购买一套私人住宅并出售组屋的业主可能会受到影响。虽然他们可以在出售组屋后申请退税,但仍需先支付ABSD。部分人可能觉得预付ABSD的金额过高,因此,这些想要升级的业主可能需要先出售组屋,然后租住其他地方,从而导致租金成本上升。

房地产公司CBRE东南亚研究部主管宋莉萍表示,长期来看,整体租赁市场可能会受到进一步影响。她说:“随着投资需求可能受到(调控措施)的影响,长期内供应租赁私人住宅的数量可能会减少。需求可能会转向商业运营商,如共同生活空间或服务式公寓。”

为何公寓售价不会发生大变化

分析师认为,最新政策不太可能对大众市场公寓的需求或价格产生显著影响。一位房地产公司高管表示:“这次措施的影响不会均匀,外国买家尤其受到较大冲击。我们认为,ABSD税率上调对大众市场的影响不会很大,因为2022年整个大众市场私人住宅购买中,外国人仅占1.5%。”

另一位分析师表示,与投资者采取观望态度不同,那些主要为自住而购买房产的买家可能仍会在大众市场活跃,尤其是首次购房者。一家全球房地产服务公司的高级研究与内容创作分析师表示:“总体而言,价格适中的私人住宅,如位于便利地点、提供理想设施的公寓,仍可能有需求,但增速可能放缓。”

然而,专家对新政策对组屋转售市场的影响看法不一。一些人预测市场可能没有变化。房地产科技公司Mogul.sg的首席研究员表示,一些人可能因为新政策放弃在私人住宅居住的计划,转而对更大或位置更佳的组屋产生更高需求。或者,部分“升级者”可能会推迟计划,这可能导致组屋转售交易量在数月内减少。

总的来说,最新的楼市调控政策对新加坡房地产市场产生了一定影响。租金价格可能会上涨,但大众市场公寓的需求和价格可能不会受到太大影响。这次政策调整可能会对外国购房者和升级者产生较大影响,但首次购房者和大众市场仍有一定需求。

New Cooling Measures: Rental Prices Likely to Increase, Mass Market Condo Demand Remains Stable

SINGAPORE — With the recent cooling measures doubling the Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD) for foreigners and increasing it for Singaporeans and permanent residents, property analysts predict a likely jump in rental prices.

Various factors contribute to this expectation, including foreigners choosing to rent instead of buying a home, and flat owners renting before upgrading to a private property to avoid paying the duty.

Close to midnight on Wednesday (April 26), the Government announced its highest ABSD rate increase since it was first introduced in 2011. Foreigners who buy any residential property here will have to pay 60 per cent of the property’s purchase price, up from 30 per cent. Singaporeans buying their second residential property pay 20 per cent, up from 17 per cent. The changes took effect on Thursday.

In a joint statement, the Ministry of National Development, Ministry of Finance, and Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) highlighted growing demand for property among investors locally and internationally, stating that the cooling measures aim to “promote a sustainable property market.”

Property analysts expect housing rental charges to spike. However, some believe the increase might be muted, in line with MAS’ forecast of the rental market released on Wednesday in its macroeconomic review. MAS mentioned in its bi-annual report that growth in rental prices would dampen in the second half of the year due to an influx of new residential units potentially slowing rental demand.

As for potential private property buyers, analysts said that the latest cooling measures would not affect the sale of mass market condominiums. Most housing hunters would be first-property buyers not affected by the higher ABSD. One analyst from real estate agency PropNex Realty mentioned that its internal data suggests that only 1.5 per cent of transactions involved foreigners.

Ms Christine Sun, OrangeTee and Tie’s senior vice-president of research and analytics, said: “(Private property) sales volume will usually drop for about three to six months (after a cooling measure), but it will rebound after that.” These market shifts will “take effect immediately” after the ABSD increase, alongside a slowing growth in property prices, she added.

Historically, prices have never fallen after an increase — only when the Total Debt Servicing Ratio was adjusted, she observed. Last revised in September 2022, the Total Debt Servicing Ratio stipulates that all debt obligations, including housing loans, cannot exceed 55 per cent of a person’s income.

The higher ABSD is expected to push up rental prices for various reasons. For instance, 60 per cent is likely too high for some foreigners who may choose to rent while waiting to obtain citizenship or permanent residency — allowing them to avoid the ABSD or pay a smaller amount. This increased demand for rental housing will then drive up prices.

Mr Lee Sze Teck, senior director of research at real estate firm Huttons Asia, said: “Anecdotally, there are foreigners who rent, with an option to purchase the home once they become a permanent resident or citizen.” He estimates that rental charges will grow around 10 per cent this year.

Ms Sun also mentioned that owners of Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats may rent short-term while waiting in the period between selling their flat and buying a private property, to avoid paying the ABSD. “Some may find the upfront ABSD payment to be too high. Therefore, those who wish to upgrade may need to sell their flat then rent somewhere first, resulting in higher costs incurred.”

Ms Tricia Song, head of research for Southeast Asia at real estate firm CBRE, said that the overall rental market may be further affected in the long run. “As investment demand is likely to be altered by (the cooling measures), there could be fewer private homes for rent in the longer term. Demand could then spill over to commercial operators such as co-living or serviced apartments,” she added.

Analysts who spoke to TODAY are not expecting the latest changes to significantly impact the demand or prices of mass market condominiums. Mr Ismail Gafoor, chief executive officer of PropNex Realty, said: “The impact of the latest measures will not be evenly felt, with foreign buyers in particular taking a bigger hit. We think the impact of the ABSD rate hike on the mass market will not be significant as foreigners accounted for only 1.5 per cent of the private home purchases in the mass market in the whole of 2022.”

Another analyst agreed, saying that unlike investors who may adopt a wait-and-see approach, buyers who are primarily getting a property for their own occupation may still be active in the mass market, especially first-time buyers.

Mr Mohan Sandrasegeran, senior analyst for research and content creation at One Global Property Services, said: “Overall, affordable private properties, such as condominium units that are priced within their budget and offer desirable amenities in accessible locations, may still be in demand, albeit at a slower pace.”

However, experts had mixed views on the impact on the HDB resale market, with some predicting that there may be no significant shifts. Mr Nicholas Mak, chief research officer at property technology company Mogul.sg, said that there may be higher demand for bigger or better-located HDB flats once people ditch their plans to own and live in private housing as a result of the new changes.

Alternatively, some of these “upgraders” may delay plans, which may lead to a lower resale volume of HDB flats “for a few months,” he added.

淡马锡基金会为低收入学生推出无债契约奖学金,不限年龄

淡马锡基金会推出了无债契约奖学金,以帮助来自低收入家庭的学生,无论他们的年龄如何 奖学金是为了纪念三位已故著名工会领袖,他们倡导终身教育。 该基金会表示,已经为高等学府的近200名学生承诺了五年超过400万新元的资助

新加坡 — 淡马锡基金会推出了无债契约奖学金,以帮助来自低收入家庭的高等院校学生,无论他们的年龄如何。

总计,每年将有39名学生,五年内将有近200名学生从奖学金中受益,根据他们的学习水平,每年可获得3000至5000新元的生活费。另外,每位获奖者的家庭成员将共享2000新元。

淡马锡基金会是国家投资公司淡马锡控股的慈善部门,周二(4月25日)在一份新闻稿中表示,五年来,该基金会已经为这些奖学金承诺了超过400万新元。

这些奖学金是为了纪念三位已故著名工会领袖,他们倡导终身教育,致力于改善低收入工人的事业:G Muthukumarasamy、Nachiappan RK Sinniah和Nithiah Nandan Arumugam。

从今年开始,每年都将向符合条件的学生开放淡马锡基金会奖学金的申请。可以在课程中期提出申请。

淡马锡基金会表示,首次推出的2000新元家庭认可奖是为了表彰家庭成员或其他人在获奖者人生旅程中的重要作用。

这些资金也可能有助于减轻低收入家庭的财务困境,如果潜在的或现有的家庭支柱决定进一步深造,它补充说。

淡马锡基金会项目负责人林福全表示,来自低收入背景的人在继续深造和提升技能方面可能面临更多障碍,原因是经济压力。

他说:“这些奖学金旨在为他们的教育旅程提供额外的支持,帮助他们实现自己的潜力。”

“我们希望激励各个年龄段的学生追随工会领袖G Muthukumarasamy、RKS Nachiappan和Nithiah Nandan Arumugam的足迹,他们认识到教育的价值并推广终身学习。”

奖学金是以谁的名字命名的? G Muthukumarasamy曾担任公共日薪工人联合工会秘书长,任期从2002年至2019年。

淡马锡基金会表示,这位名叫Kumar的工会领袖一生致力于为低收入工人争取利益,确保他们在职业生涯中取得更大进步。

他的“终身抱负”是将日薪工人,一种临时雇佣形式,转为月薪制度。

2021年,他所领导的工会中剩余的日薪工人转为月薪制度,实现了这一抱负。

1989年,Nachiappan RK Sinniah成为公共事业委员会(PUB)员工工会的副秘书长。

淡马锡基金会表示,通过将日薪和月薪工人纳入同一工会,这位被称为Nachi的工会领袖为能源和电力行业建立了良好的工业关系。

它补充说,Nachi的努力也为三方合作奠定了基石。

Nithiah Nandan Arumugam为2000多名低薪工人的生活作出了贡献,该基金会表示。

1988年,Nithi开始在PUB日薪员工工会担任工会职务,并晋升至秘书长职位。

在他生命的最后阶段,他在与肾癌的斗争中,为了保护新加坡电力集团和发电公司员工的利益,签署了集体协议。

新加坡从20多个来源进口猪肉,无需囤积:马炎庆

新加坡 – 新加坡可持续发展和环境部高级议会秘书马炎庆表示,新加坡的猪肉供应充足,无需囤积,此前,由于非洲猪瘟,新加坡停止从印度尼西亚布拉奥岛进口活猪。

他在周一的Facebook帖子中表示:“新加坡从20多个来源进口猪肉,足够满足我们的需求。”

他补充说,这个问题“不是食品安全问题”。 “消费者可以确保新加坡出售的猪肉是安全的。”

新加坡食品局(SFA)上周四宣布,已暂停从Pulau Bulan进口活猪,占新加坡猪肉总供应的约15%。这占到了该国新鲜屠宰猪肉供应的三分之二。

在靠近巴淡岛的印度尼西亚岛屿上发现了非洲猪瘟。

SFA表示,病毒是在裕廊屠宰场的猪尸体中检测到的,这些猪用于食品。这是该病首次在进口至新加坡的猪中被发现。

SFA表示:“从周日(4月23日)开始,新鲜屠宰猪肉的供应将暂时中断。”

这种致命的猪病在野猪和家猪之间具有高度传染性,但不会感染人类。

马炎庆还是淡滨尼集选区的议员,他表示,他于4月22日与淡滨尼N4邻里中心市场的猪肉商联系。

他说:“他们了解到这种暂时的供应中断,不确定当他们的供应商在未来几天内库存用尽时会发生什么。”

他补充说,一位鸡肉商贩,由于最近马来西亚禁止出口新鲜鸡肉,不得不转向销售解冻鸡肉,向其他摊位商户保证他们将能够应对这种中断。

马炎庆建议消费者可以转向其他蛋白质来源,如鸡肉或鱼肉,或考虑冷藏或冷冻猪肉。

他说:“即使我们努力实现到2030年30%的营养需求在本地生产的30 by 30目标,我们在食品供应方面也会不时面临中断。”

“作为消费者,我们可以通过灵活选择食物来提高自身的抗风险能力。”

Loving Father Braves the Darkness for a Decade to Visit Incarcerated Son

At 2 a.m., 67-year-old farmer Zhang Jiaping wakes up, preparing to ride his motorcycle from his home in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, across the causeway to Singapore. His destination is Changi Prison; even though each visit allows only 15 minutes with his son, Zhang has made the journey every two weeks for the past decade. He arrives at a gas station opposite the prison around 3 a.m., waiting until 8 a.m. for the prison doors to open, just to catch a glimpse of his 40-year-old son, Zhang Junyan.

Zhang Jiaping’s son, Junyan, was used by a friend to smuggle heroin and was arrested on drug trafficking charges, resulting in a death sentence. The father had even gone to the President’s residence to plead on his knees for clemency, which made headlines at the time.

In 2008, Junyan smuggled heroin to earn a reward of 8,000 Malaysian Ringgit (approximately 2,411 Singapore dollars). Believing he was just helping a friend deliver goods, he was arrested by Singapore police and charged with drug trafficking. After failed appeals, Junyan was eventually spared the death penalty when Singapore revised its drug laws in 2014. His sentence was changed to life imprisonment with 15 strokes of the cane.

According to Singapore law, after serving 20 years of a life sentence, the authorities will review whether a prisoner is suitable for release. That means Junyan could potentially be released as early as 2028, counting from his arrest in 2008.

The reporter and photographer arrived at the gas station opposite the prison at 4 a.m. and saw Zhang Jiaping sitting alone on the stone steps. He greeted the reporters with a strained smile and began recounting how he has faced the long, endless wait over the years.

Zhang Jiaping told reporters that his nearly 90-year-old mother passed away five months ago. Her final wish was to see her grandson “Ah Yan” released from prison, but she left the world with regret, unable to fulfill her wish.

Reflecting on his mother’s love for her eldest grandson, Zhang Jiaping was filled with emotion. “My mother doted on Junyan the most because he was very filial to her. He always thought about what to buy for his grandmother. She insisted on seeing him not long before her passing, and I promised her I would bring her here, but she couldn’t wait for that day,” he said tearfully.

Junyan’s ordeal also directly changed Zhang Jiaping’s life. In his later years, he rents a low-cost house for 700 Ringgit (about 211 Singapore dollars) and works twice a day picking vegetables from the fields to sell at the market. His twilight years have been full of hard work and hardship.

After more than a decade, the surroundings have changed, but a father’s unwavering love remains constant. “There used to be just one big tree here, but now there are three small trees. There used to be a café next door, where I could sit and rest, but it was later demolished to build a building. I’m familiar with several employees at the gas station, who sometimes buy tea for me to drink.”

According to Zhang Jiaping, it takes about 30 minutes to ride a motorcycle from his home to Changi Prison. However, he chooses to leave at night mainly because he is older and can’t ride fast, and his motorcycle is old. He worries about collisions with other motorcycles in traffic jams, so he prefers to leave early to avoid congestion.

Even in rainy weather, Zhang Jiaping continues to visit his son. On rainy days, he wears a raincoat and rides his motorcycle cautiously and slowly. Despite being careful, the slippery roads have caused him to fall two or three times, resulting in minor injuries. But Zhang Jiaping simply smiles and says, “It’s okay; I just get back up and continue riding my motorcycle. I’ll be happy once I see my son. I miss him so much.”

慈父黎明前往探望狱中儿子,十年如一日坚持不懈

本文改编自原文,原文作者为曾琬瑜。经过改编后的文章已经在内容和形式上与原文有很大的不同,但依然要尊重原作者的创作成果。本文仅用于练习和学习目的,不作商业用途。如有侵权,请联系删除。

清晨三点等到八点 慈父十年来摸黑越堤探在囚儿

67岁的农民李明哲每隔两周都会清晨两点钟起床,骑着摩托车从新山柔佛再也的家中出发,穿越边境来到新加坡。他的目的地是樟宜监狱,为了在探视时间仅15分钟的时间里见到自己现年40岁的大儿子李俊豪一面,李明哲过去十年如一日地坚持着这个行程。

李俊豪因被朋友利用走私海洛因,在新加坡被警方以贩毒罪名逮捕并被判处死刑。尽管李明哲曾为救儿子到总统府下跪求特赦,但最终仍未能改变判决。在新加坡滥用毒品法令修订后,李俊豪的死刑得以减轻,2014年被改判为终身监禁和15下鞭刑。

根据新加坡法律,终身监禁的囚犯在服满20年刑期后,当局将评估是否适合释放。也就是说,自2008年被捕起,李俊豪最快有望在2028年获得自由。

报道记者及摄影师凌晨四点抵达樟宜监狱对面的加油站,发现李明哲独自坐在石阶上。他艰难地挤出一丝微笑向记者打招呼,然后开始讲述这些年来,自己如何面对这漫长的等待时光。

李明哲的母亲在五个月前去世,她最大的心愿是能见到孙子出狱。然而,遗憾的是,她未能实现这个愿望。李明哲在谈到母亲对长孙的疼爱时充满感慨,泣不成声地说:“妈妈最疼的就是俊豪,因为他对她很孝顺,总是想着给她买什么好吃的。”

李明哲为了救儿子,将早年辛苦工作所购置的三处房产全部卖掉来支付律师费用;然而,尽管花光了积蓄,判决仍未改变。2011年,李明哲和前妻及两个女儿来到新加坡总统府下跪请求时任总统纳丹特赦免李俊豪。此外,他还在新加坡街头向市民收集签名,希望法律能给儿子一个机会。

如今,李明哲每天只睡两三个小时。每次探视儿子的那天,他都会在凌晨两点出发前往新加坡。尽管路途艰辛,他从未放弃。即使遇到下雨天,他也会穿上雨衣骑摩托车,小心翼翼地慢慢行驶。尽管雨天路滑,他曾跌倒两三次,但李明哲仍然坚持着,笑着说:“没关系,站起来继续骑摩托车,只要能见到我的儿子,我就会开心,我非常想念他。”

随着时间的推移,周围的环境发生了很多变化,但李明哲对儿子的关爱始终不变。他回忆说:“这里原本只有一棵大树,现在长了三棵小树。旁边原本还有一个加油站,后来拆除变成了超市,现在只剩下这一个加油站。另一边曾有咖啡店,我以前还能在那里休息片刻,但后来也拆除重建。加油站的几位工作人员我也很熟悉,他们有时会买茶送给我喝。”

据李明哲介绍,从家里骑摩托车到樟宜监狱只需大约30分钟。然而,他选择深夜出发的主要原因是因为年事已高、骑行速度较慢,加上摩托车老旧,他担心塞车时会与其他摩托车发生碰撞,因此宁愿提早出门避开交通高峰。

在这十年来,李明哲为父的慈爱坚定如初。对于未来,他满怀期待地希望在2028年,能够迎接儿子出狱的那一天。而对于李俊豪来说,无论身在何处,他都知道,有一位父亲始终在黎明前等待着他,守护着他。

每次探视儿子的日子对李明哲来说都是特别的,他会早早起床,踏上那段久别的道路。这段漫长而坚定的等待,见证了一位父亲对子女无尽的关爱和执着。

尽管儿子的事件对整个家庭造成了极大的影响,李明哲仍然努力维持着他和家人的生活。为了维持生计,他每天都要去田野采摘蔬果,然后拿到市场出售。尽管晚年生活充满艰辛,但他从未后悔过自己的选择。

李明哲的母亲在五个月前去世,享年90岁。她最后的心愿是见到孙子李俊豪出狱,但遗憾未能如愿。在谈到母亲对这个长孙的疼爱时,李明哲感慨万分。他含泪说道:“母亲最疼爱的就是俊豪,因为他非常孝顺,总是想着给奶奶买些什么好吃的。她曾渴望能亲眼见到孙子出狱的那一天,但现在已经等不到了。”

尽管命运曲折,李明哲依然怀揣希望,渴望迎接儿子重获自由的那一天。而对于李俊豪来说,他深知这段漫长等待背后的一位父亲无尽的关爱和期盼。在他心中,无论身处何方,都清楚有一位慈父始终在守护着他,期待着他回家的那一天。

Primary One Registration System: Ensuring Educational Equity and Equality

With the development of society and increasing competition, more and more parents are concerned about their children’s educational prospects. Particularly during the primary one registration phase, parents use various means to secure a better learning environment and resources for their children. However, Singapore’s primary one registration system has, to some extent, exacerbated the unequal distribution of educational resources and needs to be re-examined.

The current primary one registration system takes into account factors such as parents’ background, occupation, and social status, which leads to a bias in favor of children from more privileged backgrounds. As parents, we understand and respect the efforts made by every parent to seek better educational opportunities for their children, but we are also concerned about educational equity and equality.

To ensure educational equity and equality, we suggest a comprehensive evaluation and adjustment of the primary one registration system. Firstly, the priority and admission criteria should be adjusted to focus more on students’ abilities and potential rather than overemphasizing family background. This will help to ensure that children from different family backgrounds have the opportunity to enter quality schools.

Secondly, increase support for children from low-income families by providing more scholarships and financial aid to help them access better educational opportunities. At the same time, strengthen teacher training to ensure that educational quality is not compromised by differences in schools, allowing all children to receive quality education.

Additionally, promote exchanges and cooperation between various schools to share excellent educational resources and practices. This will help to break down barriers between schools, allowing more children to benefit from quality educational resources.

In conclusion, we hope that by re-examining and adjusting the primary one registration system, educational equity and equality can be achieved. This will give every child the opportunity to showcase their talents in fair competition and contribute to Singapore’s future.

小一报名制度:如何确保教育公平与平等

随着社会的发展和竞争日益激烈,越来越多的家长为孩子的教育前途操碎了心。特别是在小学入学报名阶段,家长们纷纷使出各种手段,希望能为孩子争取到更好的学习环境和资源。然而,新加坡的小一报名制度在一定程度上加剧了教育资源的不平等分配,需要重新审视。

目前的小一报名制度将家长的背景、职业和社会地位等因素纳入考虑,这在一定程度上导致了优质教育资源向家庭背景优越的孩子倾斜。作为家长,我们理解并尊重每个家长为孩子谋求更好教育机会的努力,但我们也关心教育公平与平等。

为确保教育公平与平等,我们建议对小一报名制度进行全面的评估和调整。首先,调整报名过程中的优先权和录取标准,使之更加关注学生的能力和潜力,而不是过多地强调家庭背景。这将有助于确保不同家庭背景的孩子都有机会进入优质学校。

其次,加大对贫困家庭孩子的支持力度,提供更多的奖学金和财政援助,帮助他们获得更好的教育机会。同时,加强教师培训,确保教育质量不会因为学校的不同而受到影响,让所有孩子都能受到优质教育。

此外,推动各类学校之间的交流和合作,共享优秀教育资源和实践。这将有助于打破各个学校之间的壁垒,让更多的孩子受益于优质教育资源。

总之,我们希望通过对小一报名制度的重新审视和调整,实现教育的公平与平等。让每个孩子都有机会在公平竞争中展现自己的才能,为新加坡的未来做出贡献。

MOH debunks claims: Omicron XBB variant not more ‘toxic’ than Delta

Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH) has issued a statement debunking claims that the Omicron XBB subvariant of the Sars-CoV-2 virus is more “toxic” than the Delta variant, is difficult to detect, and has a higher mortality rate.

No clear dominant strain On Apr. 19, the ministry posted on Facebook to explain that both international and local data show that the Omicron XBB subvariant is milder than the Delta variant, and does not have a higher mortality rate.

Current Covid-19 tests are also able to detect infections, including those caused by the XBB strains.

The ministry also stressed that out of all the various strains detected in the local community now, there is no clear dominant strain.

Neither is there evidence that any one of them causes more severe illness.

Currently experiencing Covid-19 infection wave Singapore is currently experiencing a Covid-19 infection wave, with the number of new infections reaching 26,072 last week, according to official statistics.

The number of new Covid-19 cases that require hospitalisation has also been steadily increasing over the past four weeks, reaching 522 last week.

However, MOH said in its Facebook post that ICU admissions remain stable and low, with less than 10 Covid-19 patients in ICU at any one time over the past month.

“We strongly advise the public to refer to credible sources of information. Please visit www.moh.gov.sg for the latest information on Covid-19,” said the ministry.

卫生部辟谣:新冠Omicron XBB变种毒性并未比Delta更严重

新加坡卫生部(MOH)发表声明,澄清Omicron XBB亚型病毒毒性并未比Delta变种更严重,也没有更高的死亡率,且目前的Covid-19检测方法可以检测到该亚型病毒。

无明显的主导病毒株 卫生部在4月19日的Facebook帖子中解释称,国际和本地数据都显示Omicron XBB亚型病毒的严重程度低于Delta变种,死亡率也没有上升。

目前的Covid-19检测方法也能检测到包括XBB株在内的感染。

卫生部还强调,在目前本地社区检测到的各种病毒株中,没有明显的主导病毒株。也没有证据表明其中任何一种会导致更严重的疾病。

新加坡正面临Covid-19感染潮 根据官方统计数据,新加坡目前正在经历Covid-19感染潮,上周新增感染病例达到26,072例。

需要住院治疗的新冠病例数量在过去四周内也持续上升,上周达到522例。

然而,卫生部在Facebook帖子中表示,ICU病房的入住人数仍保持稳定且较低,在过去一个月内,ICU病房中的Covid-19患者数量始终低于10人。

“我们强烈建议公众参考可靠的信息来源。请访问www.moh.gov.sg获取有关Covid-19的最新信息。”卫生部表示。