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Reuters
Reuters
Business

Singapore to allow New Zealand, Brunei visitors in first border easing

FILE PHOTO: Shoppers wearing protective face masks cross a street in Singapore's Orchard Road shopping district during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Singapore, August 17, 2020. REUTERS/Edgar Su

Singapore on Friday said it would reopen its borders to visitors from New Zealand and Brunei from next month, in the city-state's first steps towards resuming leisure travel since it sealed its borders to control COVID-19 outbreaks.

The city-state, which currently only allows official and business travel to selected countries, also said it would allow students to travel for study overseas if distance-learning was not available.

The measures would take effect on Sept. 1, with various restrictions, the health ministry said.

Singapore sealed its borders in March and subsequently went into a two-month lockdown as mass outbreaks in cramped migrant worker dormitories emerged.

Those lockdown measures were lifted in June and the travel and tourism hub - facing its worst recession in history - has been taking steps to slowly resume business and stimulate the economy.

(Reporting by John Geddie; Editing by Alex Richardson)

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