Singapore, May 15 (IANS): Singapore's Ministry of Health (MOH) reported 52 new cases of Covid-19 on Friday, bringing the total tally to 61,505.

Of the new cases, 28 are imported cases and 24 are community cases, the Xinhua news agency reported.

On Friday, 18 more Covid-19 patients were discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities, bringing the total number of recoveries from the epidemic to 61,047, the ministry said.

There are currently 180 active cases being treated in hospitals. Of them, three patients are in critical condition and held in the intensive care unit.

Furthermore, 247 cases are being isolated and cared for at community facilities. They are those who have mild symptoms or are clinically well but still test positive for Covid-19.

Altogether 31 people have passed away from complications due to Covid-19 infection.

According to a press release from MOH also on Friday, Singapore will tighten more measures to arrest the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in the community following the measures introduced on May 8.

The new measures include reducing the current permissible group size of up to five persons to up to two persons, and the cap of five distinct visitors per household per day to two distinct visitors per household per day; setting work-from-home as the default at workplaces; ceasing indoor "mask-off" activities such as dine-in food and beverage establishments; and reducing activity and event sizes.

These new measures will take effect from May 16 through June 13.

"Please stay at home as far as possible, go out only for essential tasks, and follow government advisories," said Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in a Facebook post on Friday. "Also do get vaccinated once it is offered to you."