Singapore (VNA) – Singapore’s Health Ministry on April 17 confirmed additional 728 cases of COVID-19, the country’s new daily record, lifting the total to 4,427.
No new deaths were reported on the same day, leaving the toll at 10.
The ministry said of the new cases, 654 were linked to migrant workers’ dormitories. The latest count of the new infections was much higher than the previous biggest daily jump of 447 recorded a day earlier.
Local authorities have managed to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 among Singapore’s citizens by rigorous contact tracing and surveillance, earning praise from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Singaporean authorities said they would impose stronger punishments on those who repeatedly break the 28-day circuit-breaker rules.
From April 9, enforcement officers would stern written warnings to people found gathering in public in Singapore. Those found to breach the rules a second time are fined 300 SGP, and taken to court if caught a third time.
“The number of new COVID-19 cases is increasing sharply, and we must comply with the Stay Home measures very strictly,” Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong wrote in a Facebook post last week.
The Singapore Land Transport Authority (LTA) has been implementing social distancing measures on the metro and bus systems, such as limiting the number of commuters who can enter train stations and buses.
Safe distancing stickers are progressively rolled out on all trains, train stations, buses, bus stops and bus interchanges to mark out spaces and seats that should be avoided by commuters. Thermal scanners are deployed at selected MRT stations to screen commuters before they enter the stations./.
Singapore is preparing to house hundreds of foreign labourers in accommodation vessels typically used for offshore and marine industry staff, in the context that the COVID-19 has been spreading rapidly in dormitories of guest workers.
The Vietnamese Embassy in Singapore announced that by the end of April 13, there were two Vietnamese citizens living in the country confirmed to get infected with the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.
Singapore and New Zealand on April 15 jointly announced a declaration on trade of over 120 products identified as essential goods for combating the COVID-19 pandemic.
The DES Ministry will seek cooperation from social media platforms to prevent the spread of fake news and monitor accounts related to such activities, he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the newly established Anti-Fake News Centre (AFNC).
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking identified the US tariff reduction as a significant driver behind the improved economic outlook for Thailand.
Financial institutions and financial technology (fintech) players are intensifying their focus on expanding across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), adopting tailored strategies to strengthen their presence in the region’s digital financial services landscape.
Featuring a permanent exhibition area, the ASEAN Hall will function both as a cultural showcase and as a dynamic venue for ASEAN-related events and programmes. Its inauguration on ASEAN Day added symbolic weight, marking a fresh milestone in ASEAN–RoK relations.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce and rice exporters are devising strategic plans to boost rice exports amid global market fluctuations, focusing on key markets and adjusting output.
The focus of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October will be on strengthening economic relations through intra-regional trade and investment, as well as regional initiatives on energy networks and connectivity.
Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
The Indonesian Government is determined to seize opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of national agricultural products, an official has said, adding that it always strives to promote exports at the highest possible level, based on a mutually beneficial foundation.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
Indonesia’s waste generation is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes in 2025. Of the total, more than 20 million tonnes could potentially enter the ocean through rivers, coastal areas, small islands, ports, and marine activities, and thereby, pose a risk to coastal ecosystems and marine biota.
Indonesia is accelerating plans to increase lithium imports, particularly from Australia, in a bid to fill gaps in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain and realise its ambition of becoming a global EV manufacturing hub.
Malaysia’s gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) reached 1.01% of gross domestic product in 2022, a notable increase, with more than 51% contributed by the industry sector. The country is targeting GERD to reach 2.5% by 2030, in line with the national goal of transforming into a high-technology nation.
The facility was established in response to a growing shift in the Filipino labour force from the Middle East to Japan, where workers are seeking safer working environments.
In the latest Indonesia-US trade agreement in July, the US administration agreed to reduce the reciprocal tariff, which was initially set at 32% by US President Donald Trump last April, to 19%.
Real estate agency ERA Singapore estimated that there are 2,703 condo developments in Singapore today, of which 836 or 31% are at least 30 years old. In 10 years, this number is expected to climb to 1,160, assuming none is sold en bloc.
Merlion Park in Singapore. (Photo: AFP/VNA)
