New home quarantine rules for citizens returning from China to Singapore entered into force on Tuesday.

Violators face imprisonment and fines, and foreigners will be deported, ministry of national development reported.

Compliance with quarantine will be monitored by special employees who can walk around apartments and houses at any time, and make landline calls, TASS said. 

Violation of the rules will be regarded as non-compliance with the law on infectious diseases, which faces a fine of up to 10 thousand Singapore dollars ($ 7.1 thousand), imprisonment for up to six months, while foreigners face deportation and a subsequent ban on entry into the country.

The two-week home quarantine completely prohibits going out and receiving visitors.

Nearly 600 people currently are in home quarantine, while 1.2 thousand are placed in special isolation centers created based on student dormitories.