9 new COVID-19 cases in Singapore, all imported

SINGAPORE: Nine new COVID-19 cases were reported in Singapore as of noon on Friday (Dec 18), said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in its daily preliminary update.

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

All new cases were imported and all were placed on stay-home notice or isolated upon their arrival in Singapore.

Details of the new cases will be released on Friday night, said the health ministry.

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Healthcare providers and general practitioner clinics are gearing up for an expected rise in demand for COVID-19 testing as Singapore prepares to resume more activities, with Phase 3 of the country's reopening set to begin on Dec 28.  

Currently, pilots are being conducted for sports events, performances and meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions of up to a few hundred people, where participants have to undergo tests before entering. Nightclubs and KTVs are also due to start a pilot next month where patrons would have to take tests before a night out or to sing karaoke.

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These are generally Antigen Rapid Tests (ART), which are less invasive than Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests. The results are also available more quickly, in 15 to 30 minutes, while PCR tests require the deep nasal swab sample to be sent to a laboratory and the results are usually known in 24 to 48 hours.

PCR tests currently cost about S$200, while most ART tests range from S$50 to S$80, according to a list of test providers published by the health ministry,

Singapore has reported a total of 58,386 COVID-19 cases as of Friday.

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