SINGAPORE — Singapore’s Ministry of Health is tightening restrictions meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus amid a recent surge in new cases and deaths.

New regulations the Health Ministry announced Friday include reducing the number of people allowed to gather socially from five to two, and restricting restaurants to seating only two fully vaccinated people together.

The city-state in Southeast Asia has been lauded for its coronavirus response and has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, with some 77% of its people fully vaccinated.

But in recent weeks Singapore has seen climbing case and death rates as it has sought to ease some restrictions to “transit toward a COVID-19 resilient nation.”

Its overall numbers are still very low, with 1,504 new cases reported Thursday and two more fatalities, bringing the country’s total to 70.