SINGAPORE, Oct 23 — Singapore will allow fans at a sports event for the first time in months when limited numbers attend a One Championship MMA fight card next week, organisers said today.

Up to 250 mask-wearing fans will be allowed at next Friday’s "One: Inside the Matrix” after going antigen tests for the coronavirus.

The screening is part of a government pilot programme that will see people tested for Covid-19 before large-scale events.

Antigen tests can identify at least 80 per cent of infected people and provide results within 30 minutes, according to the government.

"One: Inside the Matrix”, featuring six fights, will be held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, which holds up to 12,000 spectators.

One Championship held a closed-door event in Singapore this month, its first major international show since the coronavirus brought sport to a halt worldwide.

Singapore has recorded nearly 58,000 coronavirus cases and 28 deaths, but its outbreak has slowed markedly in recent weeks, allowing it to gradually ease curbs and travel restrictions. — AFP