Personal care chain Watsons and supermarket NTUC FairPrice are rationing the number of masks that customers in Singapore can buy at one time.

This latest quota-setting is the result of panic-buying island-wide, as the novel coronavirus is picking up steam with more infected cases and deaths reported globally.

Watsons

According to a Facebook post by Watsons on Jan. 28, customers are limited to one to three boxes of various face masks:

However, the post has received multiple comments saying that stock for masks at Watsons have run out and the chain store can better serve customers by indicating when and where stocks will be replenished.

There was also some confusion as customers questioned if one customer was entitled to buy various quantities of the different products at one shot.

If that was the case, each customer could walk away with up to 11 boxes of various masks.

NTUC FairPrice

NTUC FairPrice also put up a notice on Jan. 28 informing customers about extending its purchase limits to include hand sanitisers and thermometers.

FairPrice has urged customers not to hoard these items as it will deprive other households of it.

It has also pledged to keep prices of these items affordable and to continue to bring new stock in.

The total number of people infected with the coronavirus in China is 4,515, according to the state-run Global Times on Jan. 28, just before 12pm.

According to CGTN, this includes 8 in Hong Kong, 7 in Macao and 5 in Taiwan.

The death toll remains 106.

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