Haze prompts closure of all outdoor and non-air-conditioned ActiveSG facilities

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SINGAPORE: Outdoor and non-air-conditioned facilities at all ActiveSG sport centres have been temporarily closed as the haze situation worsens across Singapore, national sports agency Sport Singapore (SportSG) said on Friday (Oct 16).

The move marks an expansion of earlier closures, which had affected only selected ActiveSG facilities.

SportSG issued several updates on Thursday, with different advisories as the haze situation evolved.

In its latest notice at noon on Friday, SportSG said indoor and air-conditioned facilities at all ActiveSG sport centres remain open.

Air quality worsened across Singapore overnight, with the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) readings reaching the very unhealthy range in three regions on Friday.

Central Singapore was the first to cross into the very unhealthy band at midnight, with its 24-hour PSI climbing to 227 at 9am – the highest reading recorded this year. It eased slightly to 226 at 1pm.

The east and west followed at 10am, with readings of 202 and 201 respectively. By 1pm, the PSI stood at 205 in the east and 203 in the west.

Under the Ministry of Health's haze advisory, vulnerable individuals are advised to avoid outdoor activities when hourly PM2.5 readings are in the high band of 151 to 250.

Healthy individuals are also advised to reduce prolonged or strenuous outdoor activities when readings reach this level.

SportSG first closed outdoor and non-air-conditioned facilities at ActiveSG sports centres in all regions except the north on Wednesday, following a sharp increase in 1-hour PM2.5 readings.

Later that day, it announced that the affected facilities in the west would remain closed as an additional precautionary measure.

On Thursday, SportSG announced further closures affecting selected facilities in the central, eastern and southern regions as haze conditions persisted.