Singapore Imposes Strictest Restrictions Since Lockdown Due To COVID-19

Singapura/Unsplash (Mike Enerio)

JAKARTA - Singapore announced the strictest restrictions on social gatherings and public activities since the easing of the COVID-19 lockdown last year.

This restriction policy was implemented amid an increase in locally acquired infections and with new coronavirus groups formed in recent weeks.

The new measures announced by the health ministry, which will take effect from Sunday to mid-June, include limiting social gatherings to two people and stopping eating at restaurants.

"This is clearly a setback in our fight against COVID-19," Lawrence Wong, the Minister of Education who co-led Singapore's coronavirus task force, told Antara on Friday, May 14.

Working from home will also be made a setting under the new measures.

Authorities said they would review the measures after two weeks to assess whether adjustments were needed.

Asian trade and financial centers have been reporting nearly zero or single-digit daily local infections for months, before the recent increase in cases.

On Thursday, he confirmed 24 locally transmitted cases of COVID-19, the highest daily number since mid-September driven in part by clusters at Changi airport.

Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung said given the rise in infections, it was "highly likely" that Singapore would not meet the threshold for Hong Kong's long-delayed travel bubble, which was recently rescheduled to begin at the end of May.

Singapore's stock market fell about 3 percent, led by a fall in stocks exposed to retail and companies exposed to travel.

Singapore Airlines shares fell more than 6 percent. The Singapore dollar also slipped slightly after the announcement.

Singapore will hold its annual Shangri-La Dialogue from June 4, June 5, which typically attracts top-level military officials, diplomats and arms makers from around the world.

Singapore also plans to host the annual World Economic Forum summit on Aug.