Asia Faces New COVID-19 Wave: Hong Kong, Singapore See Uptick. Worrying?
News of another COVID-19 surge in Asia, with main hotspots in Hong Kong and Singapore, naturally concerned a lot of people. As both areas are home to many people and receive a lot of visitors, they are commonly studied to see if their trends can show what’s coming for the rest of the world.
Experts in Hong Kong have found that more samples from respiratory illnesses are returning positive for COVID-19, reaching the highest rate seen in a year. Despite the fact that the number of serious cases and deaths is not as high as it was in the past two years, the presence of more viruses in sewage and more patients in hospitals show that the virus is still being passed among people.
It has been reported that there were 28% more estimated COVID-19 cases in Singapore in the week ending May 3, 2025, when compared with the previous week. There has been a 30% increase in the number of hospitalizations brought on by COVID-19. Important to note, Singapore waits until they see a large rise in COVID-19 cases before releasing new figures, which suggests that the recent rise is particularly noticeable to their health ministry.
Hong Kong and Singapore’s authorities believe that a major part of the rise in cases is due to lower immunity in people. Quite some time has passed from the main vaccination campaigns and the earlier waves, and both natural and vaccine-induced immunity may not last as long as we hope. Yet, both regions report that published studies do not suggest the circulating variants spread more easily or make people sicker than the previous ones. In Singapore, the most common virus circulating appears to be a variety of JN.1 strains known as LF.7 and NB.1.8.
Singapore and Hong Kong are one of several regions in Asia experiencing an increase in cases. It seems that Asian countries, including China and Thailand, are seeing a similar rise, while the latter may see higher cases due to the recent Songkran festival.
Should you be worried?
The trend from now should inspire you to pay attention, at a low-bell level, but I don’t think immediate bells should be going off for everyone (other than areas close to COVID-19 hot spots). Here’s an outline of why and what to be considering:
Why be worried:
* Increased Transmission: Even if the variants are not more severe, increased cases means more people are getting infected… that will continue to push the limits of our health care systems, push and increase levels of absenteeism from work and school, and leave vulnerable individuals at risk.
* Chance for a New Variant(s): Based on our current knowledge, it seems likely that the current variants are causing the increase, but as numbers increase, there are more chances for the virus to mutate into new variants with different characteristics.
* Waning Immunity: As more people become susceptible again as a result of less immunity from previous infections and immunizations.
What you should do:
* Keep Vigilance: Stay aware of what is going on in your local area regarding COVID-19 and any associated recommendations from your health authorities.
* Vaccination: Get vaccinated and stay up to date, including the booster recommendations, where advised; especially if part of a high-risk group.
* Hygiene: Maintain good hygiene practice, including frequent hand washing with soap and water, and especially in crowded places.
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