Covid-19 KTV cluster: Govt thought ‘long and hard’ but no tightening of community restrictions for now, says Ong Ye Kung

SINGAPORE — The loosened restrictions allowing groups of up to five persons to dine out since Monday (July 12) will remain, despite a surge in Covid-19 community cases on Wednesday, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said.

The authorities had thought “long and hard” about whether to tighten restrictions, but had decided that Singapore is in a “much more resilient position”, said Mr Ong.

Singapore recorded 56 locally transmitted Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, with 41 of them linked to a cluster compirsing KTV lounges and hostesses who work there.

This was a jump from the 19 community cases on Tuesday and eight on Monday.

“We just started (the relaxation of restrictions) on Monday and we now have a much higher vaccination rate, essentially more than 70 per cent have taken one dose and more than 40 per cent are fully vaccinated,” Mr Ong said.

“We are in a much more resilient position than before, so as for now, we will keep the rules that have come into effect since Monday and there will not be any reversal.”

Singapore had entered a heightened alert phase on May 8, where dining in at food-and-beverage outlets were restricted. On June 21, dining out was permitted again, but only with a maximum group size of two. 

However, Mr Ong still urged people to exercise caution and restraint.

“Don’t — just because the rules allow (it) — go out and meet five people all the time,” he said. “Given the cases because of the KTV cluster, potentially quite a huge cluster, exercise restraint, exercise caution.

“Meet people only when you have to, meet with your family, the same old friends if you can and try not to circulate too much in the community.”