Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong/File
In the wake of rising coronavirus cases in the country, Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong called for a one-month shutdown on Friday. The nationwide shutdown in Singapore will start from next Tuesday i.e, on April 7. In his announcement, Singapore PM said that most workplaces, except for essential services and key economic sectors will be closed. In a series of tweets, the Singapore Government announced that local cases in Singapore have risen. "Despite contact tracing, half of the cases unlinked. New clusters in foreign worker dorms, nursing homes have come up. We need to apply a circuit breaker now for 1 month to reduce the risk of big outbreak."
Singapore government advised staff to work from home. The announcement of a nationwide shutdown comes a day after 74 new coronavirus cases were reported in the country. Seven Indian nationals are among the new COVID-19 cases. It was the highest daily increase of COVID-19 cases in the country.
What remains closed in Singapore shutdown
- Most workplaces (Staff that can work from home must do so)
- For schools - from 8 April
- Schools & IHLs: Full Home-Based Learning
- Preschools, student care: Closed
What will remain open in Singapore lockdown:
- Essential services: Food outlets, markets, supermarkets, clinics, hospitals, utilities, transport, key banking services
- Economic sectors: strategic or part of global supply chain
Singapore has reported 1,049 COVID-19 cases while five people have lost their lives so far. Meanwhile, a total of 245 cases have fully recovered and been discharged from hospitals or relocated to community isolation services.
Earlier, a 68-year-old male Indonesian national, who was a Singapore Work Pass holder, passed away from complications due to COVID-19 infection on April 2, said Singaporean Health Ministry.
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