Month: April 2020
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 2, 2020
COVID-19 infections growing exponentially, deaths near 50,000: WHO
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GENEVA: The head of the World Health Organization voiced deep concern on Wednesday (Apr 1) about the rapid escalation and global spread of COVID-19 cases from the new coronavirus, which has now reached 205 countries and territories. WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that his agency, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund backed
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 2, 2020
RedMart suspends new orders amid surge in demand over COVID-19 concerns
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SINGAPORE: Online grocer RedMart will be suspending new orders for two days to tweak its product offerings and update its system, amid a surge in orders due to COVID-19 concerns. In a letter to customers on Thursday (Apr 2), RedMart said that it will resume taking new orders on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement During this time, RedMart
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 2, 2020
Australia to test 9,000 crew members stranded on cruise ships for COVID-19
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SYDNEY: Australian police and military will soon begin helicoptering doctors to several cruise ships stranded near Sydney to assess nearly 9,000 crew for COVID-19, officials said on Thursday (Apr 2). The military-style operation, due to begin by the weekend, is aimed at resolving a standoff between cruise line operators and authorities who fear a wave
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 2, 2020
102-year-old woman among those infected with COVID-19 at Lee Ah Mooi nursing home
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SINGAPORE: On Tuesday (Mar 31), an 86-year-old woman residing at the Lee Ah Mooi Old Age Home in Thomson Lane tested positive for COVID-19 – the first case found in a nursing home in Singapore. The next day, it became a cluster of 11 cases, including a 102-year-old woman who was a resident at the home.
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 2, 2020
Palm View Primary School student tests positive for COVID-19, home-based learning extended
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SINGAPORE: Palm View Primary School in Sengkang has extended home-based learning by an extra day to Thursday (Apr 2), after a student tested positive for COVID-19. The Primary 2 student was last in school on Monday and was well, said principal Ming Kum in a memo to parents on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement The student contracted
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 2, 2020
‘Shoot them dead’: Philippine President Duterte warns COVID-19 lockdown violators
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MANILA: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has warned violators of coronavirus lockdown measures they could be shot for causing trouble and said abuse of medical workers was a serious crime that would not be tolerated. In a televised address, Duterte said it was vital everyone cooperates and follows home quarantine measures, as authorities try to slow
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 2, 2020
Several Malaysian states call off Ramadan bazaars amid COVID-19 fears
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SINGAPORE: Several Malaysian states, including Kedah, Selangor, Terengganu and Melaka, have announced that Ramadan bazaars will be cancelled this year. Johor Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar has also urged bazaar organisers to cancel the events. Advertisement Advertisement This comes just as Putrajaya said it is mulling over standard operating procedures (SOPs), such as safe distancing and crowd control,
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 2, 2020
Jail for unruly man who spat on Crowne Plaza hotel floor and shouted: ‘Corona, corona!’
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SINGAPORE: A man who caused a ruckus at a hotel and spat repeatedly on the floor, shouting “Corona, corona”, was sentenced to two months’ jail on Thursday (May 2). Jasvinder Singh Mehar Singh, 52, was also given an additional enhanced sentence of 55 days’ jail, as he committed the offences while on remission for previous
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 2, 2020
COVID-19: Holy Land custodian urges Israel to let Christian clerics celebrate Easter at Jesus’ tomb
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JERUSALEM: Easter celebrations should be permitted inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, even if only by a small number of clerics abiding by anti-coronavirus guidelines, a senior clergyman said on Wednesday (Apr 1). Reverend Francesco Patton, a Franciscan friar who is the custos of the Holy Land for the Roman Catholic church,
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 2, 2020
Repeat offender who kept sex roster for 4 underage girls gets 10 years’ corrective training, caning
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SINGAPORE: A repeat sex offender who held weekly meetings with four underage girls and set up a roster for sex acts with them was sentenced on Thursday (Apr 2) to 10 years’ corrective training and eight strokes of the cane. Corrective training is a separate regime from imprisonment, usually imposed on repeat offenders. There is
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 2, 2020
Christians in Malaysia to celebrate Easter online amid extended COVID-19 movement curbs
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KUALA LUMPUR: Churches in Malaysia will hold Easter celebrations online as the movement control order prohibiting mass gatherings will remain in place until on Apr 14, which is after Holy Week. Easter Sunday on Apr 12 marks the end of a week-long observance for Christians which also includes Good Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has announced that the government has banned all gatherings, including
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 2, 2020
Bukit Merah HDB branch closes temporarily after second employee tests positive for COVID-19
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SINGAPORE: The Housing and Development Board’s (HDB) Bukit Merah branch will be closed from Thursday (Apr 2) “until further notice” after a second branch employee tested positive for COVID-19. In a Facebook post, HDB said it was working closely with the Ministry of Health (MOH) on contact tracing. Advertisement Advertisement “The health and safety of
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 2, 2020
COVID-19 can spread 1 to 3 days before symptoms appear, US study on Singapore cases shows
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ATLANTA, Georgia: People infected with the novel coronavirus can transmit the infection one to three days before symptoms start to appear, according to a study published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The study, which underscored the importance of social distancing to fight the coronavirus outbreak, looked at 243 cases of
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 2, 2020
New Enterprise Singapore initiative to help SMEs break into e-commerce market
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SINGAPORE: Small and medium enterprises (SMEs), who have little or no e-commerce experience, can start selling online through support from a new Enterprise Singapore initiative. The E-Commerce Booster Package provides both cost and manpower support, Enterprise Singapore said in a news release on Thursday (Apr 2). Advertisement Advertisement “This aims to help retailers change their business
