Singapore president tests positive for COVID-19

SINGAPORE — Singapore's president announced Monday she had tested positive for COVID-19, but said that her symptoms were mild as she had been vaccinated.

"Just tested positive for COVID-19 with mild flu-like symptoms," Halimah Yacob said in a Facebook post.

"Thankfully, I have been vaccinated and boosted. I hope to recover soon and am sorry to have missed the events this week."

Singapore's presidency is a largely ceremonial role, with the prime minister running the country's affairs.

The city-state, a trade and aviation hub, reopened its borders and lifted most virus restrictions after the number of cases fell and most of its population was vaccinated, though people are still required to wear masks indoors.

But cases have risen recently, with the health ministry reporting nearly 6,000 new infections on Monday.

Apart from the president, two other senior government officials also tested positive for COVID-19: parliamentary speaker Tan Chuan-Jin and Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong.

"All good things must come to an end. My COVID-free days are over," Tan Juan-Jin said on Facebook.

Tong's infection was announced during Monday's parliamentary session.

At the start of the pandemic, the country of 5.5 million kept COVID-19 cases low through border closures and a tough lockdown.

It has faced sizeable outbreaks since last year, but with some of the world's highest vaccination rates, authorities shifted to a policy of living with the virus. — Agence France-Presse