12 new COVID-19 cases in Singapore, all imported

SINGAPORE: Twelve new COVID-19 cases were reported in Singapore as of noon on Wednesday (Dec 16), said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in its daily preliminary update. 

All 12 cases were imported and were placed on stay-home notice or isolated upon their arrival in Singapore, the ministry said. 

No new cases were found in the community and in foreign workers' dormitories.

Details of the new cases will be released on Wednesday night, MOH said.

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SEGREGATED TRAVEL LANE FOR BUSINESS TRAVELLERS

Singapore will launch a new segregated travel lane aimed at business travellers on short-term stays, with the first travellers to arrive from the second half of January, Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing announced on Tuesday.

The travel lane, or the Connect@Singapore initiative, will be opened to a “limited number” of business, official and high economic value travellers from all countries who are staying in Singapore for up to 14 days.

Applications for the segregated travel lane will open in the middle of January 2021, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said on Tuesday.

READ: Singapore, Vietnam aim to finalise 'green lane' travel arrangement by early next year: MFA

READ: Singapore to start Phase 3 of COVID-19 reopening on Dec 28

For their whole stay, travellers under the segregated travel lane will be housed within dedicated facilities, undergo regular testing and observe all prevailing safe management measures, said MTI.

The travellers will have to stay within their pre-declared travel group of up to five travellers within the segregated facility and are not allowed to mingle with other travellers. They will also have to abide by all prevailing national safe management measures, and use TraceTogether and SafeEntry. 

As of Wednesday, Singapore has reported a total of 58,353 COVID-19 cases.

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