Singapore reports most Covid cases in more than one year

Will reimpose curbs if the number of severe cases rises sharply, official says

Singapore’s health ministry recorded 328 new domestic coronavirus cases yesterday, the highest daily number of new infections in more than a year.

The city-state has been reporting more than 100 domestic cases daily over the past two weeks in a rise that has come as the country removes most restrictions as part of its phased reopening.

Finance minister and cochair of the country’s coronavirus task force, Lawrence Wong, told local media in a briefing on Monday that Singapore may reimpose Covid-19 curbs if the number of severe cases rises sharply.

The number announced yesterday was the most since the record 904 seen in early August 2020.

Singapore has fully vaccinated more than 80 per cent of its 5.7 million population against the coronavirus as of Monday, one of the highest rates in the world.

Bloomberg Customers at a cafe in the central business district in Singapore. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in a recent speech said it’s no longer possible to reduce Covid-19 cases to zero, even if the country locks down for a long time.