Singapore will shut all bars, cinemas, nightclubs, and karaoke outlets from Thursday 11:59pm till the end of April as part of new drastic measures announced by the government to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Classes at tuition centers as well as religious services will be suspended. Public venues like malls, museums, and tourist attractions are allowed to remain open as long as the venue limits its crowd density to no more than one person per 16 square meters.
Gatherings at public places will also be limited to 10 people.
The new measures were announced as the Health Ministry reported 49 new coronavirus cases, raising the total number of infections to 558. Thirty-two of the new cases were likely imported.
Singapore also announced new measures to slow down the rate of imported infections.
From 11:59pm tomorrow, all Singapore residents returning from the United Kingdom or the United States will go straight into 14-day quarantine at hotels. Those who breach the Stay-Home notice face S$10,000 fines and six months’ jail.
Singapore residents traveling out of the country from Thursday onwards will have to pay full hospital fees if they are hospitalized for COVID-19 back home. They will also not be allowed to claim expenses from their MediShield Life or Integrated Shield Plans.
Since Monday, short-term visitors have been barred from entry or transiting through Singapore.
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