Singapore Moves Back Toward Lockdown as Virus Cases Rise

(Bloomberg) — Singapore is returning to the lockdown-like conditions it last imposed a year ago, 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.

For four weeks from May 16 to June 13, gathering sizes as well as household visitors will be cut to a maximum of two people from five; working from home will be the default; and food places can do only takeaways and deliveries, the health ministry said Friday in a statement. The resurgence also puts a highly anticipated travel bubble with Hong Kong in doubt.

The Singapore dollar extended its decline after the announcement of the new rules. The city’s benchmark stock index bucked Asia’s positive trend to sink as much as 3.2%, the most since June last year, before ending 2.2% lower. Shares linked to travel and consumption were among the biggest losers, with bellwether Singapore Airlines Ltd. sliding as much as 7.3%.

“A pattern of local unlinked community cases has emerged and is persisting,” the statement said. “We need to act decisively to contain these risks as any one leak could result in an uncontrolled resurgence of cases.”

The country recorded 24 new virus cases locally Friday, with more than half coming from a cluster originating at Changi Airport. The number of unlinked infections — the most concerning to officials as they signal undetected spread in the community — has risen to 15 in the past week from 7 the week before, the health ministry said Thursday.

While the numbers are far smaller than outbreaks in countries like the U.S. that are charging ahead with opening up, the flare-up is a major setback by Singapore standards as the city-state is one of handful of “Covid havens” that previously nearly eliminated the pathogen domestically. These places are now struggling to find a path to reopen as vaccination drives lag behind those of major Western economies.

The new rules are the most restrictive since Singapore went into a so-called circuit breaker partial lockdown in April last year, where schools and most workplaces were closed except for essential services and key economic sectors. Officials at a briefing Friday emphasized the need to stay home and go out only for absolutely necessary errands and said they will review the measures after two weeks.

The return to near-lockdown in Singapore puts in doubt high-profile global initiatives meant to showcase its control of the virus. A long-gestating air travel bubble with Hong Kong, set to start May 26, is now unlikely to go ahead on schedule. Singapore was also set to host the Shangri-La Dialogue early next month, which organizers say they remain committed to, and the Davos-based World Economic Forum in August.

Singapore’s new rules for the next month include:

• Fewer people allowed in shopping malls and showrooms.

• A maximum of 100 people allowed at business meetings and live performances with pre-event testing, and as many as 50 people without testing.

• Operating capacity at attractions cut to 25% from the current 50%.

• Wedding receptions will not be allowed.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Friday authorities are testing more intensively and trying to ring-fence transmissions, and the stricter restrictions are needed to prevent more cases.

“The new measures will be difficult for everybody,” Lee said in a Facebook post.

Hong Kong Travel Bubble

Officials in Hong Kong and Singapore signaled that a travel bubble first scheduled to start last November will be delayed again in light of the outbreak in Singapore.

Transport minister Ong Ye Kung said Friday at a briefing that it’s very likely that Singapore “may not meet the criteria” for the arrangements to go through; the government will make an announcement early next week on the bubble’s fate after reviewing local cases.

According to the terms of the agreement, the travel bubble will be closed for two weeks if the seven-day moving average of daily unlinked local cases is more than five in either city. It’s currently just above two in Singapore and near zero in Hong Kong.

There’s a “high chance” the air travel bubble will not go ahead as scheduled, Hong Kong Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau said Friday, citing Singapore authorities. Yau said he will speak to Singapore’s new Transport Minister S. Iswaran early next week.

Job Support

Given the new ban on dining in, the Singapore government will increase job support subsidies for food and beverage companies and waive rental for one month for hawker stall and coffee shop tenants.

It is also stepping up virus testing starting May 15 and will begin using rapid test kits for people with symptoms at health centers.

As of May 13 the country fully vaccinated more than 22% of its population, or about 1.3 million people, the health ministry said. While that’s the fastest in Asia, it lags behind the U.S at 36% and Israel at 56%.

The number of new local cases rose Thursday to 24, the highest since last July. Changi Airport is now the single biggest cluster of Covid cases, raising fears that travelers spread the pathogen to airport staff and visitors despite strict post-arrival quarantine regulations.

Contact editor Bob Simison (bobsimison@caixin.com)

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