COVID-19 measures for travellers from Hong Kong tightened given 'deteriorating outbreak': MOH

SINGAPORE: Singapore will tighten COVID-19 border measures for travellers who have travelled to Hong Kong in the 14 days prior to entering Singapore, with all to serve a 14-day stay-home notice at dedicated facilities.

The new measure will apply to travellers entering Singapore from 11.59pm on Sunday (Dec 13), the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a press release on Friday.

From 11.59pm on Dec 18, all travellers entering Singapore who have a travel history in the past 14 days to Hong Kong will also be required to take a COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test within 72 hours before their departure.

They will need to present a valid negative COVID-19 test as a condition of approval to enter Singapore, said MOH.

Singaporeans and permanent residents are exempt from the PCR test.

READ: Singapore, Hong Kong to defer air travel bubble launch

"The multi-ministry taskforce has been closely monitoring the global COVID-19 situation, and will be tightening border measures given the deteriorating outbreak situation in Hong Kong," said MOH.

Previously, travellers from Hong Kong were allowed to serve a seven-day stay-home notice at their place of residence.

The changes are in view of "the increased risk of community spread recently", the ministry added.

Travellers from Hong Kong will be allowed to opt out of the dedicated facilities and serve their stay-home notice at their place of residence.

To do so, they must not have visited any other place in the last 14 days prior to entering Singapore, and must occupy their place of residence alone or with household members with the same travel history and serving the same duration of stay-home notice. 

"As the global situation evolves, we will continue to adjust our border measures to manage the risk of importation and transmission to the community," said MOH.

Hong Kong confirmed 86 new COVID-19 infections on Friday, of which 81 were locally transmitted.

Friday's case count snapped a three-day streak of more than 100 daily COVID-19 cases in the city.

Earlier this month, Singapore and Hong Kong announced the deferral of an air travel bubble amid a spike of COVID-19 cases in the Chinese city. The travel bubble was originally scheduled to start on Nov 22.

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