Singapore has reported emerging cases of a rare virus-linked paediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome amidst rising number of COVID-19 cases as it tries to arrest the spread of the contagion, reports PTI.

The country reported 3,035 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday and 12 deaths due to complications linked to the coronavirus.

Four infections are among over 8,000 paediatric COVID-19 cases that are "considered rare" and are emerging since the start of the pandemic, the Health Ministry said in the statement.

All four, age ranging from two months to eight years, were admitted to hospital between October and November this year, according to media reports.

Of these four cases, one four-year-old is in the children’s intensive care unit (CICU) breathing with the support mechanical ventilation, one is in a general ward and two have been discharged.

An international review in May, 2020, reported a Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C) incidence rate of 0.14 per cent, meaning 14 in 10,000 cases, among all children with COVID-19 infection, said the ministry.

"MIS-C is similar in presentation to Kawasaki disease which has been linked to various virus or bacterial infections, and occurs in 150 to 200 children a year in Singapore,” it said.

As of Saturday, Singapore has reported 215,780 COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic and 480 deaths.