[8] There was a steep climb in the rate of infection beginning in May,[9] and by early July the total number of cases for the year was projected to surpass the previous high of 22,170 recorded in the 2013 outbreak.
[21] Before the development and widespread availability of accurate COVID-19 tests, doctors faced challenges in rendering the correct diagnosis,[22][23] as the two diseases share some of the same early symptoms,[21][22][23] and have clinical and laboratory characteristics in common.
[23] Conversely, protective measures against COVID-19 can create bottlenecks in healthcare systems and lead to delays in diagnosis;[28] confirmation that a patient does not pose a COVID-19 risk requires two consecutive negative test results obtained at least 24 hours apart.
[34] Vector control inspections conducted at construction sites from April to June 2020 found that 18% them harboured mosquito breeding areas, triple the amount compared to the prior three months.
[32] A labour shortage caused by COVID-19 infections among the migrant worker population forced some landscaping works to be deferred, leading to an increase in untrimmed vegetation that provided a hospitable environment for mosquitoes.
[11][32] This was despite a sustained publicity campaign that exhorted the community to take preventive measures to eliminate potential breeding habitats, and contrary to expectations that residents, being confined to their homes, would be better able to implement the necessary steps.
[32][35] Public health experts have suggested that this could be because housekeeping demands actually increased during this period, with residents having to divide their time between remote work and child care, along with the need to prepare additional meals.
[39] Over the course of the year, about 1 million inspections were conducted of homes, common areas of housing estates, construction sites and other premises to root out mosquito breeding habitats, uncovering about 23,400 instances.
[40] After the number of mosquito breeding sites found in home inspections quintupled during the COVID-19 circuit breaker period, the NEA further tightened enforcement with increased fines from 15 July onward.
[42] The NEA expanded ongoing studies of new vector control methods involving the release of male mosquitoes carrying the Wolbachia bacteria into the field to mate with wild (non-Wolbachia-carrying) females.