After the increase in Covid cases, Singapore re-enacts strict separation rules

Following a series of new Covid-19 cases, Singapore has adopted strict social distancing measures, banning in-person meals and limiting social gatherings to two people.

The ban will go into effect on Sunday, just a few weeks before the country is set to host the Shangri-La Dialogue. This is a high-profile annual defense summit, which will be Singapore’s first major international event since the pandemic last year.

These measures are also expected to postpone the opening of the travel bubble with Hong Kong originally scheduled to begin on May 26. This is the second postponement of efforts to resume flights between Asian financial centers.

Singapore has reached a single-digit number or no local transmission of daily infections in the months after infection Relax restrictions With a view to opening up the economy in December. But after reporting 71 cases of locally transmitted cases last week, the government took a radical approach, and 15 of them were not contacted.

Officials recorded 24 infections on Thursday, a relatively low level by global standards.However, with the increase in the number of cases and the emergence of new clusters, the last few months have been

Authorities have also discovered a new set of 46 cases at Changi Airport, which may involve the more easily transmitted variant of the B. 1.617.2 coronavirus, which was first detected in India. A separate cluster in Singapore hospitals includes this variant.

Singapore’s Health Minister Gan Jinyong said on Friday: “We are on high alert.”

Ong Ye Kung, Minister of Transport, stated that the increase in the number of cases means that the tourism bubbles in Singapore and Hong Kong are “very likely to fail to meet the recovery criteria”.

The new measures will take effect for one month, but will be reviewed in two weeks. Outdoor parties or family visits can accommodate up to two people, and only restaurants are allowed to provide takeout or delivery. Working from home will also become the default arrangement.

The Shangri-La Dialogue attracted major military officials, diplomats and weapon manufacturers, and was originally scheduled to be held in person on June 4. Confirmed participants include US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.

The think tank of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the organizer of the event, said it remains “committed” to holding the meeting. It added: “We will quickly review our existing safety management measures based on today’s announcement to ensure the highest level of safety for all our participants and the wider community in Singapore.”

The World Economic Forum also announced that it will Annual meeting in Singapore In August, instead of the Davos ski resort in Switzerland, the health crisis in Asian cities has eased.

The World Economic Forum did not respond to a request for comment.

The new restrictions have frustrated some residents who have gone through a normal life for several months. A treasurer based in the city said: “This is a good way to lock it without needing to lock it,” said a treasurer of the city.