Singapore mega-church takes services online after virus cases jump

FILE PHOTO: Worshippers attend a church service at the City Harvest Church in Singapore March 1, 2014. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - A Singapore church with a congregation of 16,000 will stop holding its conventional services this weekend due to the rising number of coronavirus cases in the city-state and will instead broadcast its lively, gospel-style preaching online.

The decision by City Harvest Church, one of the most profitable churches in Asia which has been mired in a corruption scandal in recent years, comes after Singapore reported its biggest jump in cases to date on Thursday - up eight to 58 - with several clusters linked to church gatherings.