Clarification by Minister for Health

The following statements were in the reply given by the Minister for Health (Mr Ong Ye Kung) during the Ministerial Statement on “Update on ICU and Hospital Capacity” at the Sitting of 1 November 2021:

The Minister for Health (Mr Ong Ye Kung): Nursing home infections are a small percentage of the total senior infection. The last I calculated, it is not updated but it is about 6.4%. So, it is a small percentage. The large majority is actually transmission within the community. [Please refer to “Update on ICU and Hospital Capacity”, Official Report, 1 November 2021, Vol 95, Issue No 41, Ministerial Statement section.]

Written statement by Mr Ong Ye Kung circulated with leave of the Speaker in accordance with Standing Order No 29(5):

After the Ministerial Statement on “Update on ICU and Hospital Capacity” at the Sitting of 1 November 2021, Mr Leong Mun Wai asked about the infection rates of seniors in nursing homes. My reply should read as follows:

The Minister for Health (Mr Ong Ye Kung): Nursing home infections are a small percentage of the total senior infection. The last I calculated, about 6.8% of the cases who were critically ill, in ICU or died, were cases from nursing homes. The large majority is actually transmission within the community.