Singapore has been hit by a fresh wave of COVID-19, with officials reporting more than 25,900 cases earlier this month, according to foreign media.
This comes despite Health Minister Ong Ye Kung's advice on Saturday to wear masks again.
"We are at the beginning of the wave, where it is steadily rising," Ong stated. "So, I would say the wave should peak in the next two to four weeks, which means between mid- and end-June."
The Ministry of Health (MOH) said that the projected number of COVID-19 cases from May 5 to 11 increased to 25,900, up from 13,700 the previous week.
While the average number of patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) each day remained low at three, compared to two cases the previous week, the average number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 increased to about 250 from 181 the previous week.
Public hospitals have been urged to decrease the number of non-urgent elective surgical cases in order to preserve hospital bed capacity, according to the MOH.
Ong advised medically fragile people, especially those 60 years of age and older, who are most in danger of developing a serious illness.
Additionally, if they haven't had a COVID-19 vaccination in the previous 12 months, he recommended elderly nursing facility patients get one.
Singapore can manage 500 patients in its healthcare system, according to Ong, assuming the number of COVID-19 cases rises twice.
However, he noted that "that will be a considerable burden on the hospital system" if the number of cases doubles a second time, making 1,000 patients.