SINGAPORE, July 13 (CNA)- Singapore reported 16,870 new COVID-19 cases as of noon on Wednesday (Jul 13), comprising 15,978 local infections and 892 imported cases.

There were three fatalities, taking the death toll from coronavirus complications to 1,440.

The cases reported on Wednesday were nearly three times that of Tuesday, when 5,979 COVID-19 infections were reported.

“The increase in the number of cases today is due to the spike we typically see following a long weekend. The 7-day moving average number of local cases has remained stable over the past week, at about 8,400,” said the Ministry of Health on its website.

A total of 734 patients are in hospital. Ninety patients require oxygen supplementation.

Fourteen patients are in the intensive care unit.