Coronavirus: Singaporeans asked to avoid crowding ahead of general polls

Singaporeans have been asked to observe safe distancing measures and avoid crowding ahead of the July 10 general elections as the city-state on Saturday reported 291 new coronavirus cases, pushing the tally to 43,246.

Of the 291 new cases registered on Saturday, 286 are foreign workers while five are Singapore citizens or permanent residents (foreigners), the Ministry of Health (MOH) said.

As of Friday, Singapore had 182 coronavirus patients in hospital and 5,921 were in community facilities under mild conditions.

A total of 36,825 patients have recovered from COVID-19 while 26 have died due to the disease.

On June 19, Singapore entered Phase two of its reopening after the end of the "circuit breaker" period to curb the spread of COVID-19.

But election-related activities are expected in view of the upcoming general elections with political parties reaching out to people for votes.

The Ministry of Environment and Water Resources on Friday reminded members of the public to continue safe distancing.

When encountering candidates on their walkabouts, the "required actions and best practices" include avoiding physical contact with candidates and their supporters, said the ministry on Friday.

"Refrain from shaking hands or engaging in greetings where there is physical contact, such as fist bumps or high fives," it added.

Members of the public should maintain a distance of one metre from other individuals while interacting with candidates or queuing for campaigning items like flyers,  the ministry said.

The people should also continue to wear a face mask when interacting with candidates and refrain from following or crowding around candidates and their supporters, the ministry said.