SINGAPORE — More than 2,900 stern warnings and 40 fines were issued to members of the public on Friday (April 10) alone for non-compliance with the elevated safe distancing measures, said the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR).

In a statement, the ministry said this brings the total of stern warnings issued since April 7, when the “circuit breaker" period started, to 3,100 and fines to 40.

Police assistance was required for more than 20 cases where members of the public were not cooperative when asked to leave premises.

"One incident included a group of delivery riders, who hurled vulgarities at our (self-distancing) ambassadors when approached. This is truly unacceptable," Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli wrote in a Facebook post late on Friday night.

He said that he "was extremely alarmed and disappointed at the number of individuals found flouting the safe-distancing measures".

He noted that "those who displayed a flagrant disregard" for the measures included organised groups exercising together (including cyclists), and people loitering at a market.

"If this persists, we will further strengthen the penalties, and may close more facilities," he added. 

"This is an extremely worrying time for us all ... We will not let up in our enforcement efforts."

His warning came as the number of Covid-19 infections in Singapore crossed the 2,000 mark, with another 198 cases confirmed on Friday.

MEWR also said in its statement that during an enforcement operation by the police, a beauty salon along Upper Cross Street was found to provide massage services without a licence during the "circuit breaker" period which will last till May 4 and requires residents to adhere to enhanced safe-distancing measures.  

The Singapore Food Agency also detected an operator illegally hawking face masks at Ang Mo Kio Ave 1 on Friday.

The hawker was ordered to cease operations immediately and will be issued a S$1,000 fine under the Covid-19 (Temporary measures) Act 2020.

Only businesses providing essential services — such as food establishments, healthcare and social services — are permitted to operate at their usual premises during this period and non-compliance is an offence.

The MEWR said that the start of the long weekend saw an increase in the number of people going out to public spaces such as neighbourhood centres, popular markets, hawker centres and recreational parks

“To tighten enforcement, more than 2,800 enforcement officers and ambassadors were deployed today," added the ministry. 

It also said that officials from the National Parks Board (NParks) were "out in force" and rostered to enforce safe distancing measures at all parks, gardens and nature reserves that it managed, including the Park Connector Network, Pulau Ubin, as well as parks managed by town councils. 

Across NParks-managed gardens, parks and nature reserves, more than 720 playgrounds and fitness areas, 12 dog runs and eight fishing spots have been closed off to prevent gathering in groups.

To ensure safe distancing at peak timings, NParks temporarily closed on Friday: 

• Access bridges at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve;
• Access bridges at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park;
• The Henderson Waves, and
• MacRitchie TreeTop Walk.

The Park Connector in Jurong Lake Gardens was also temporarily diverted.

To monitor visitorship, NParks is tapping technology such as drones in selected parks and nature areas with more ground to cover.

MEWR said that the use of drones gives a better sense of the density of visitors in a specific area.

“Aerial photographs taken by drones are reviewed every half an hour, and areas experiencing high visitorship levels will be temporarily closed in order to ensure safe distancing,” it added. 

In a separate release, the National Environment Agency said enforcement actions were taken against 68 members of the public at markets and cooked food sections of hawker centres on Friday. 

One such action was taken against a market patron who claimed to be unaware of safe distancing requirements and remained non-compliant, even after a stallholder assisted officers to remind the individual.