The coronavirus situation in Southeast Asia prompted countries to shut down stadiums, bars, and other establishments. Rumors have also been rife in some nations, while other countries focused on preparing for the worst.
Rumors Push Stadium Closures in Bangkok
Thailand's capital of Bangkok announced that it will shut down two stadiums that are popular nationwide. The New Lumpinee Boxing Stadium and the Rajadamnern Muaythai Stadium will be temporarily closed amid the country's CoVID-19 situation.
According to the South China Morning Post, the announcement came after Thai authorities revealed that at least 27 people contracted the novel coronavirus at a stadium in Bangkok over the past week.
However, the exact venue was not provided by the authorities, prompting fears among people who were at the two major stadiums in the capital city.
Rumors have been rife around Thailand over the past few weeks, especially as some health experts noted that the government has yet to provide a clear set of guidelines for Thai citizens on how the country will tackle potential worst-case scenarios surrounding the CoVID-19 situation in Southeast Asia.
35 New Cases in Thailand
A disease control official with the government revealed that Thailand recorded 35 new cases as of Wednesday, the Malay Mail reported.
As of Wednesday, the country has seen 42 patients walk out of hospitals after recovering from the disease, while 169 CoVID-19 patients are still receiving treatment. One person has died from the novel virus in the country.
With the new confirmed cases, Thailand now has a total of 212 coronavirus cases.
Indonesian Province Prepares Isolation Wards
The Indonesian province of East Java announced on Tuesday that it has prepared 120 new isolation wards to help lessen medical facility worries in case the coronavirus outbreak heightens in the area.
According to the Jakarta Post, 100 isolation wards have been established at the Menur Mental Hospital's new building, while 20 wards were set up at the Soetomo Public Hospital.
East Java governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa told reporters that the main goal of preparing more isolation wards beforehand was to encourage citizens in the province "so that they won't feel worried."
As of Tuesday, Indonesia recorded a total of 172 confirmed CoVID-19 cases.
Malaysian Workers Struggle to Get Home from Singapore
On Tuesday evening, Singapore saw congested roads to the Woodlands Checkpoint as Malaysian workers who wanted to cross to Johor Baru thronged the border before Malaysia kicked off its two-week lockdown starting Wednesday.
On both sides of the Causeway, pedestrians and drivers alike tried to get home from Singapore as fast as they could, sparking a mass exodus among Malaysian employees, the Straits Times reported.
Workers in some select Singapore-based companies were lucky enough to have been provided with a two-week accommodation spree by their bosses, but others were forced to go back home during the Malaysian lockdown.
Johor Government Hopeful of Border Reopening in Days
Malaysia's 14-day lockdown put trade with Singapore in limbo but on Wednesday, the Johor state government raised hopes that it may reopen the border within several days, depending on the CoVID-19 situation.
Mentri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad explained that the reopening will only take place after the establishment of strict health checks on both sides of the border, The Star reported.
On the other hand, some people will be given special work passes to pass to and from Malaysia and Singapore, including students who are studying in Singapore, people with essential business in the city-state, people in logistics-related segments, and those with specialty skills.
The Johor government said details on which others will be allowed to cross the border will be released soon.
Singapore Hits Record-High in New CoVID-19 Cases
On Tuesday, the Singaporean Ministry of Health (MOH) announced 23 new coronavirus cases, including 17 considered to be imported, marking the highest number of CoVID-19 cases recorded in the city-state within a single day.
Five of the Singaporeans included in the imported list of new coronavirus cases had travel history in European countries such as Italy, France, and Germany.
The city-state now has a total of 266 confirmed CoVID-19 cases, with five of the patients discharged from medical facilities after full recovery. Singapore now has a total of 114 fully recovered cases, while 14 are still in critical condition.
