In Brief: S'pore sends medical supplies to Philippines

SINGAPORE • Singapore has sent medical supplies to the Philippines that will allow doctors to detect coronavirus cases and help contain the outbreak.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday that the Government has contributed 3,000 diagnostic tests and a polymerase chain reaction machine.

Singapore's Ambassador to the Philippines Gerard Ho handed the supplies to Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro L. Locsin Jr yesterday in Manila.

Singapore sent medical supplies to Myanmar on March 4, and China on Feb 8 and 19.

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Myanmar reports first two infections

YANGON • Myanmar confirmed its first infections on Monday, after weeks of increasing scepticism over its claim to be free of the coronavirus.

Two Myanmar men, a 36-year-old and a 26-year-old, were infected. They had returned from the United States and United Kingdom, respectively.

The country of 54 million had tested only 214 people by Monday evening.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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Australia to impose more curbs as cases soar

SYDNEY • Australia will close food outlets at shopping centres, place limits on weddings and funerals, and ban overseas travel, after a jump in the number of infections.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said yesterday only five people can attend weddings - the couple, the celebrant and two witnesses - while funerals would be limited to 10 guests.

Of some 400 new cases yesterday, about 90 were passengers of the Ruby Princess cruise ship. Australia has more than 2,100 cases and eight deaths.

REUTERS

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More Spanish healthcare workers test positive

MADRID • Healthcare workers accounted for nearly 14 per cent of Spain's total coronavirus cases as of yesterday, up from 12 per cent the previous day, said health emergency chief Fernando Simon.

Some 5,400 healthcare workers have been diagnosed with the virus, out of a total of more than 39,000 confirmed cases.

REUTERS