Singapore warns new virus strains infecting more children, shuts schools

13 Sept 06:08 Key points summarised by AI

Singapore will close all primary and secondary schools, shifting to full home-based learning from May 19 until May 28, in response to a recent surge in local COVID-19 transmissions.
Authorities express concern over new coronavirus strains, particularly the B.1.617 variant first detected in India, which appears to affect children more, prompting the school closures.
The city-state recorded its highest daily local transmission count in eight months, with some cases linked to children, leading to tightened restrictions including limits on public gatherings and closure of dine-in services.
The government is developing plans to vaccinate students under 16 and has implemented additional measures like closing airport terminals to non-passengers and mass testing to curb the spread, potentially impacting a planned travel bubble with Hong Kong.

Flooding persists in Bangkok and 22 provinces

Yesterday 16:00 Key points summarised by AI

Persistent flooding continues across Bangkok and 22 Thai provinces, though water levels are gradually receding in many affected areas.
Over 604,000 families, impacting approximately 1.83 million people, are still grappling with the widespread flood conditions.
The national flood death toll has reached 80 since mid-September, with fatalities reported across various provinces.
Major regions like Pathum Thani, Ayutthaya, and Bangkok report significant numbers of affected households, with hundreds of thousands still in trouble.