SINGAPORE, Feb 25 — From today, new visitors who have travelled to Cheongdo or Daegu in South Korea in the past 14 days will not be allowed to enter or transit through Singapore.

Returning Singapore residents and long-term pass holders who have been to either of the two cities in the past 14 days will be issued with a stay-home notice that will require them to remain in their homes at all times for 14 days.

A multi-ministry taskforce dealing with the Covid-19 situation announced these moves today.

It noted that these two cities have seen the bulk of Covid-19 cases in South Korea, which is now the country with the highest number of confirmed cases outside China.

These measures will take effect from 11:59pm today.

As of noon today, South Korea had reported 893 confirmed cases of Covid-19.

Of these, 501 are linked to the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in Daegu, while 113 are linked to Daenam Hospital in Cheongdo.

Another 246 are under investigation and are not linked to either cluster.

South Korea has designated both cities as "special care zones” and raised its alert level on the Covid-19 situation to the highest one of "serious”.

"With the rapidly evolving situation in these regions, visitors and returning travellers from Daegu and Cheongdo pose a heightened risk to Singapore,” the taskforce said in a statement.

As announced on Sunday, the Ministry of Health advises travellers to avoid all non-essential travel to Daegu and Cheongdo, and to exercise caution when travelling to South Korea. — TODAY