Covid cases rises in Singapore

Singapore is returning to the lockdown-like conditions, banning dining-in and limiting gatherings to two people, as a rising number of untraceable virus infections pressures one of the most successful places in the world at COVID containment.

Country's Health Ministry in a statement said, for four weeks, from 16th May to 13th June, gathering sizes as well as household visitors will be cut to a maximum of two people from five people now, working from home will be the default, and food places can only do takeaways and deliveries.

The Singapore dollar extended its decline



after the announcement of the new rules.

The number of new cases in the community has increased to 71 in the past week from 48 in the week before. The number of unlinked infections -- the most concerning to officials has risen to 15 in the past week from 7 in the week before.

A long-gestating air travel bubble with Hong Kong, set to start 26th of this month, is now unlikely to go ahead on schedule. Singapore was also scheduled to host the Shangri-La Dialogue early next month and the Davos-based World Economic Forum in August