SINGAPORE - The Embassy of the State of Qatar on Sunday (Feb 9) advised all Qatari citizens to avoid unnecessary travel to Singapore because of the spread of the coronavirus. This came a day after Kuwait issued a similar warning.

Citizens of both countries were advised to take necessary precautions, and to follow instructions issued by Singapore authorities through the Ministry of Health website.

Britain has included the city-state in a list of countries from which returning travellers who developed symptoms should self-isolate, while Kuwait has asked its citizens not to travel to Singapore.

The coronavirus is spreading more widely in Singapore, with more than half of the 43 people infected here now being locally transmitted cases. Six of the patients are in critical condition.

Singapore is now the country with the highest number of coronavirus patients outside of China. This excludes the cruise ship docked in Japan, which is classified as an international conveyance.

India started screening passengers on flights coming in from Singapore and Thailand for the coronavirus, and has further restricted travel from China, as part of preventive measures to contain its spread.

The Indian government decided to extend thermal screening to passengers coming in from Singapore and Thailand after initiating screening for passengers coming in from China and Hong Kong last week.