An Antigen Rapid Testing Self-Test Kits vending machine is seen in Singapore, Sept 28, 2021. (PHOTO / BLOOMBERG)
SINGAPORE / WELLINGTON / HANOI – Singapore reported 6,270 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, bringing the total tally to 1,749,144.
Three new deaths from COVID-19 were reported on Friday in Singapore, bringing the total death toll to 1,534
Of the new cases, 699 cases were detected through PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests and 5,571 through ART (antigen rapid test) tests, according to statistics released by the Ministry of Health.
Among the PCR cases, 662 were local transmissions and 37 were imported cases. Among the ART cases with mild symptoms and assessed to be of low risk, there were 5,386 local transmissions and 185 imported cases.
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A total of 659 cases are currently warded in hospitals, with 18 cases in intensive care units.
Three new deaths from COVID-19 were reported on Friday, bringing the total death toll to 1,534, the ministry said.
A man wearing a face mask walks on a street during a nationwide COVID-19 lockdown in Wellington on Aug 18, 2021.(MARTY / MELVILLE / AFP)
New Zealand
New Zealand reported 4,790 new community cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, said the Ministry of Health in a statement.
The ministry also reported 648 current hospital admissions, including 19 cases in ICU or HDU on Saturday.
There were 104 new cases that have recently traveled overseas, according to the ministry.
New Zealand has reported 1,639,058 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. There are now a total of 1,638 deaths in the country confirmed as attributable to COVID-19, either as the underlying cause of death or as a contributing factor, said the ministry.
A man passes walks past a billboard on the coronavirus in Ho Chi Minh City on Dec 4, 2021. (NHAC NGUYEN / AFP)
Vietnam
Vietnam recorded 2,075 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, up by 59 from Thursday, according to its Ministry of Health.
The newly reported infections brought the country's total tally to 11,192,043. No new deaths from the pandemic were reported on Friday, with the total fatalities staying at 43,094.
As of Friday, there were 46 severe cases in need of assisted breathing in the Southeast Asian country, according to the ministry.
Nationwide, 9,957,655 COVID-19 patients, or nearly 89 percent of the total infections, have so far recovered.