All travelers from the Chinese mainland and the state of Victoria in Australia who have a negative Covid-19 test will be allowed to enter Singapore and will not need to be quarantined starting Nov. 6.
The move expands the list of countries and regions to which Singapore is opening its borders as they have shown recovery in the coronavirus pandemic. Singapore earlier announced similar measures for travelers from Brunei, New Zealand, Vietnam and all other parts of Australia except Victoria.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said Thursday that mainland Chinese and Victoria were added to the list as they have comprehensive public health surveillance systems and successfully controlled the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus. Over the past 28 days, the Chinese mainland and Victoria recorded a local virus incidence rate of 0.00009 per 100,000, and the risk of importation from those places is low, the CAAS said.
China reported 42 new coronavirus cases Tuesday, 20 of them imported. The 22 others were locally transmitted, asymptomatic cases found in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region’s Kashgar prefecture, where a cluster of infections was linked to a local garment factory. Kashgar concluded mass testing Tuesday of all of its 4.75 million residents over three days, and local health authorities declared the outbreak contained.
Visitors must have remained in the Chinese mainland or Australia the 14 consecutive days before entering Singapore. Upon arrival, they must undergo Covid-19 tests at the airport and remain isolated at the accommodation until test results are confirmed negative.
Singapore was one of the first countries to shut its borders after the pandemic first broke out in Wuhan. In May, Singapore and China agreed to create a fast lane for essential business and official travel.
Contact reporter Denise Jia (huijuanjia@caixin.com) and editor Bob Simison (bobsimison@caixin.com).
