Situation Report of COVID-19 in the ASEAN Region – 05 December 2022

Global Update

• Worldwide, there have been over 642 million cases and over 6 million deaths attributed to COVID-19. Regional Update

• Philippines: Dr. Rontgene Solante, an infectious diseases expert, stated on Sunday that one of the reasons the country's state of public health emergency has not yet been abolished is the threat of COVID-19 variations of concern.6 Solante told Super Radyo dzBB that COVID-19 infections in the country are now "extremely steady," and that hospitals are no longer overburdened with new cases.6 The state of public health emergency was announced by then-President Rodrigo Duterte in March 2020, when the outbreak began.6 [Full Article]

• Singapore: More COVID-19 infections and a new coronavirus wave are predicted when people travel for the holidays, but it will not be something Singapore has not seen before, according to Health Minister Ong Ye Kung.7 He noted that in 2022, Singapore experienced three COVID-19 waves: the BA.2 Omicron subvariant in April, the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants in July, and the latest XBB variant.7 He also stated that the administration will keep an eye on developments in other countries.7 One thing people should be aware of, according to Ong, is a potential new variety of concern that may emerge as winter approaches in the Northern Hemisphere.7 He also mentioned China's COVID-19 situation.