Singapore extends partial lockdown until June 1

Singapore has extended by four weeks until June 1 a partial lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus infections, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Tuesday. The measures, which include the closures of most workplaces and schools, were initially set to run from April 7 until May 4.

The city-state on Tuesday confirmed 1,111 new coronavirus cases, taking the total infections to 9,125, Reuters said.

Most of the cases were migrant workers living in dormitories – a group that accounts for more than three-quarters of Singapore’s total infections, according to its health ministry.

The World Health Organization’s regional office said on Tuesday that Singapore – which has the highest number of reported cases in Southeast Asia – is facing “very difficult challenges” as the result of a recent surge in infections. However, the city-state has the healthcare system and risk management capacity to handle it, it added.