Singapore on Friday announced it will introduce its strictest curbs on public gatherings since last year’s lockdown starting this Sunday, as it faces a rise in the number of locally acquired Covid-19 cases infections.
The number of new covid-19 cases in the community has increased to 71 in the past week from 48 in the week before, the health ministry said Thursday, while the number of unlinked infections – the most concerning to officials as they signal undetected spread in the community – has risen to 15 in the past week from 7 in the week before.
While the numbers are far smaller than ongoing outbreaks in countries like the US that are charging ahead with opening up, the flareup is a major setback by Singapore standards, as the city-state is one of a handful of “Covid havens” that had previously nearly eliminated the pathogen domestically.
Among other initiatives, sizes of group gatherings were further reduced from five to two people, with dining-in at F&B establishments banned. Working from home is also to be the default at workplaces. The new measures will take effect from May 16 through June 13.