Singapore tightens COVID-19 rules for travellers from India, cuts entry approvals for non-Singaporeans and PRs
SINGAPORE: COVID-19 border measures will be tightened for travellers from India, who will have to serve an additional seven days of stay-home notice at their residence following their 14-day stay-home notice at dedicated facilities, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Tuesday (Apr 20).
This follows a surge of COVID-19 infections in India in recent days.
The new requirement will take effect from Thursday at 11.59pm.
With immediate effect, Singapore will also reduce entry approvals for non-Singapore citizens or permanent residents due to the worsening situation in India and the emergence of new virus variants, said MOH.
READ: Hong Kong bans flights from India, Pakistan and the Philippines over mutant COVID-19 strain
READ: More than 50 on India flight to Hong Kong test positive for COVID-19
Travellers from India will be tested after their 14-day stay-home notice period, according to current requirements, and again after the seven-day stay-home notice period.
“Travellers who have yet to complete their 14-day stay-home notice by Apr 22, 2021, 11.59pm, will also be subjected to the additional seven-day stay-home period,” said MOH.
“Migrant workers arriving from India in the construction, marine and process sectors will continue to be subjected to a 21-day stay-home notice. These measures will minimise importation risks and protect public health.”
CNA has asked MOH for more details about the reduction of entry approvals for non-Singaporeans or permanent residents.
MEASURES EASED FOR TRAVELLERS FROM HONG KONG
The Health Ministry also announced that it is easing measures for travellers arriving from Hong Kong following an improvement of the COVID-19 situation in the city.
Their stay-home notice period will be reduced from 14 days to seven, and the notice period can be served at their place of residence “if suitable”, said MOH.
This will apply to travellers who have remained in Hong Kong in the last 14 consecutive days and who enter Singapore from Thursday 11.59pm.
They will be subject to a COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test on arrival and another swab before the end of their seven-day stay-home notice.
READ: COVID-19 measures eased for travellers from Hong Kong, UK, South Africa and vaccinated people in official delegations: MOH
At the same time, Singapore authorities will also begin allowing long-term pass holders and short-term visitors with recent travel history to the UK and South Africa.
“The multi-ministry taskforce regularly reviews Singapore’s border measures to manage the risk of importation from travellers and onward local transmission, taking into account the current situation in their source countries or regions,” said MOH.
INDIA RECORDS WORST DAILY DEATH TOLL
India, the country currently being hit hardest by the pandemic, on Tuesday reported its worst daily death toll, with large parts of the country now under lockdown amid a fast-rising second wave of infections.
Its health ministry said 1,761 people had died in the past day, bringing India’s toll to 180,530. It is well below the 567,538 deaths reported in the United States, although experts believe India’s actual deaths are far more than the official count.
The world’s second-most populous country is grappling with its biggest public health emergency after it lowered its guard when coronavirus infections fell to a multi-month low in February, said health experts and officials.
READ: India opens up COVID-19 jabs to all adults as New Delhi goes into lockdown
READ: For India’s poor, COVID-19 ‘pandemic policing’ adds to lockdown hardships
The US Centers for Disease Control and Protection has said all travel should be avoided to India, while Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson cancelled an official trip to New Delhi that had been scheduled for next week, and his government said it will add India to its travel “red list”.
Hong Kong also suspended flights from India from Tuesday, the same day that the city reported that at least 53 passengers on a flight from New Delhi tested positive for COVID-19.
Singapore’s Health Ministry on Tuesday said it will continue to adjust border measures to manage the risk of importation and transmission to the community as the global situation evolves.
Source: CNA/Reuters/jt(rw)
Covid-19 (April 19): 2,078 new infections, active cases break 20k
The Health Ministry today reported 2,078 new Covid-19 cases.
The number of new cases in Selangor, a long-time Covid-19 epicentre, remains stable at 457 new cases.
However, fresh infections in Sarawak and Kelantan remain elevated compared to the previous weeks.
Sarawak again recorded the highest number of new cases today, with 589 fresh infections.
Meanwhile, Kelantan recorded 290 new infections, the second-highest on record for the state.
These infections comprised 90.71 percent Malaysians and 9.29 percent non-citizens.
The Klang Valley and East Malaysia accounted for 29.45 percent (612 cases) and 34.65 percent (720 cases) of the new infections, respectively.
Active cases breached 20,000 for the first time since March 7.
This was due to fresh infections surpassing the number of recoveries for 13 consecutive days. There were 1,402 new recoveries today.
Active cases had remained at the 14,000 range for 23 consecutive days, but from April 10, it quickly skyrocketed from 15,059 to 20,522 today.
- Active cases: 20,522
- Patients in ICUs: 228
- Intubated: 93
Deaths
There were eight fatalities today, bringing the death toll to 1,386.
The new deaths were recorded in Sarawak (3), Sabah (2), Selangor (2) and Kuala Lumpur (1).
Those who died were aged between 35 and 89.
for a detailed breakdown of the reported deaths today, please refer to our Covid-19 tracker site.
New cases by states
Sarawak (589)
Selangor (457)
Kelantan (290)
Kuala Lumpur (153)
Sabah (125)
Johor (115)
Negeri Sembilan (91)
Penang (91)
Kedah (48)
Perak (43)
Pahang (32)
Malacca (27)
Terengganu (8)
Labuan (6)
Putrajaya (2)
Perlis (1)
Clusters
A total of 340 out of 1,534 clusters are still active. From the active clusters, 63 of them contributed to the new cases today.
This includes the 14 clusters reported today as well as another 12 that were declared resolved.
The resolved clusters are: Taman Tunku, Jalan Helang, Jalan Delima, Jalan Mega Lima, Jalan Kunci Air, Kampung Nyatoh, Jalan PKNK 1/6, Jalan Sikamat Lama, Batu Empat, Jalan Tun Razak, DTI Machap Umboo and Lagenda Suria.
Most notably, six out of the 14 new clusters today involve education institutions.
Details of the new clusters are as follow:
Tangok cluster
District(s): Bachok, Kota Bharu and Machang in Kelantan
Locality/Source: An education institution at Kampung Tangok, Bachok
Cluster category: Education
First case: April 15
Total infected: 15 out of 139 screened
Pulai Chondong cluster
District(s): Machang, Bachok and Pasir Mas in Kelantan
Locality/Source: An education institution at Pulai Chondong, Machang
Cluster category: Education
First case: April 16
Total infected: 23 out of 199 screened
Jalan Tagasan cluster
District(s): Semporna in Sabah
Locality/Source: An education institution at Jalan Tagasan P/S 521, Kampung Tagasan Tani, Semporna
Cluster category: Education
First case: April 9
Total infected: 6 out of 109 screened
Jalan Medan Aliff cluster
District(s): Johor Bahru in Johor
Locality/Source: An education institution at Jalan Medan Aliff Harmoni 1/2, Taman Damansara Aliff, Johor Bahru
Cluster category: Education
First case: April 15
Total infected: 9 out of 67 screened
Jalan Weng cluster
District(s): Baling in Kedah
Locality/Source: An education institution at Jalan Weng, Bongor, Baling
Cluster category: Education
First case: April 19
Total infected: 11 out of 121 screened
Jalan Hospital cluster
District(s): Pasir Mas in Kelantan
Locality/Source: A school at Jalan Hospital, Kampung Kubang Terap, Pasir Mas
Cluster category: School/Education Ministry institution
First case: April 13
Total infected: 50 out of 525 screened
Sungai Duan cluster
District(s): Mukah in Sarawak
Locality/Source: Sungai Duan, Mukah
Cluster category: Community
First case: April 2
Total infected: 84 out of 321 screened
Sungai Passin cluster
District(s): Matu and Sibu in Sarawak
Locality/Source: Sungai Passin, Matu
Cluster category: Community
First case: April 2
Total infected: 49 out of 441 screened
Sungai Selitut cluster
District(s): Bintulu and Tatau in Sarawak
Locality/Source: Sungai Selitut, Tatau
Cluster category: Community
First case: April 11
Total infected: 18 out of 65 screened
Jalan Bandar Universiti cluster
District(s): Perak Tengah and Manjung in Perak; Titiwangsa in Kuala Lumpur
Locality/Source: An event at Bandar Universiti, Seri Iskandar, Perak that took place on March 26
Cluster category: Community
First case: April 13
Total infected: 13 out of 107 screened
Jalan Sulah 16 cluster
District(s): Klang in Selangor
Locality/Source: A factory at Jalan Lada Sulah 16/11, Shah Alam, Petaling
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: April 13
Total infected: 46 out of 549 screened
Jalan Cahaya Baru cluster
District(s): Batu Pahat in Johor and Kepong in Kuala Lumpur
Locality/Source: A restaurant at Jalan Cahaya Baru, Yong Peng, Batu Pahat
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: April 14
Total infected: 20 out of 90 screened
Cyber Park cluster
District(s): Kulai in Johor
Locality/Source: A factory at Jalan Cyber 14, Kawasan Perindustrian Senai 4, Kulai
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: April 19
Total infected: 9 out of 21 screened
Bayan Cenderawasih cluster
District(s): Kota Setar in Kedah
Locality/Source: Jalan Bayan and Jalan Cenderawasih, Alor Setar
Cluster category: Religious event
First case: April 16
Total infected: 10 out of 38 screened
Covid-19 (April 20): 2k new cases for 6th straight day, K’tan sets new record
COVID-19 | The Health Ministry today reported 2,341 new Covid-19 cases and three deaths.
Malaysians comprise nearly all of the new Covid-19 infections (94.36 percent), indicative of foreign labour dependent industries no longer being the main source.
The Klang Valley accounted for 37.85 percent (886 cases) of new cases while East Malaysia made up 29.18 percent (683 cases).
- Active cases: 21,268
- Patients in ICUs: 249
- Intubated: 95
Breakdown by states
This marked the third day in a row Sarawak reported the highest number of new infections with 600 cases.
Kelantan also recorded its highest number of new cases since the pandemic with 429.
In both Sarawak and Kelantan, the source of new cases was primarily from existing clusters and close contacts.
Most parts of Kelantan are under movement control order (MCO) restrictions while interdistrict travel in most parts of Sarawak is still not allowed.
Kuala Lumpur reported 344 new cases, the highest in the territory since late February. Close to a third of those cases in Kuala Lumpur were found through “other testings”, where new infections were not linked to existing clusters or close contacts.
As of yesterday, the R-naught number for Malaysia stood at 1.17, up from a recent low of 0.81 as reported on March 8.
An R-naught number of more than 1.00 signified that the spread of Covid-19 was increasing. The only regions with an R-naught number of less than 1.00 are Penang, Labuan, Putrajaya, Pahang, Perak and Perlis.
Deaths
There was one Covid-19 death reported for Selangor, Sarawak and Sabah respectively. The national Covid-19 death toll stands at 1,389.
The age of the victims was between 65 and 75. Details of the victims are documented in Malaysiakini’s Covid-19 tracker site.
Clusters
The Health Ministry said 340 clusters are still active, down from 421 clusters reported a month ago.
There were 67 clusters with new cases today and seven new ones classified.
Notably, two schools were involved in the Jalan Pasir Mas-Pohon Tanjung and Jalan Padang Lallang clusters.
Details of the new clusters are as follows:
Kampung Tengah Betong cluster
District(s): Betong in Sarawak
Locality/Source: Vicinity of Kampung Tengah, Betong
Cluster category: Community
First case: April 9, index case reported symptoms
Total infected: 15 out of 381 screened
Sungai Rian cluster
District(s): Meradong in Sarawak
Locality/Source: Vicinity of Sungai Rian, Bintangor
Cluster category: Community
First case: April 12, targeted screening
Total infected: 48 out of 119 screened
Jalan Meranti cluster
District(s): Hulu Selangor and Gombak in Selangor
Locality/Source: Social event at Jalan Meranti 3A/14, Bandar Baru Batang Kali, Hulu Selangor on April 10
Cluster category: Community
First case: April 15, index case reported symptoms
Total infected: 9 out of 50 screened
Taman Dato Senu cluster
District(s): Kepong and Titiwangsa in Kuala Lumpur
Locality/Source: Social event on April 10 at Taman Dato Senu, Kepong
Cluster category: Community
First case: April 20, index case reported symptoms
Total infected: 12 out of 55 screened
Jalan Pasir Mas-Pohon Tanjung cluster
District(s): Pasir Mas and Tanah Merah in Kelantan
Locality/Source: An education institution at Jalan Pasir Mas-Pohon Tanjung, Pasir Mas
Cluster category: Education
First case: April 14, index case reported symptoms
Total infected: 28 out of 46 screened
Jalan Padang Lallang cluster
District(s): Seberang Perai Tengah in Penang
Locality/Source: School at Jalan Padang Lallang, Bukit Mertajam, Seberang Perai Tengah
Cluster category: School/MOE regulated institution
First case: April 17, index case reported symptoms
Total infected: 9 out of 39 screened
Hala Kampung Jawa cluster
District(s): Timur Laut, Barat Daya and Seberang Perai Utara in Penang
Locality/Source: A factory at Hala Kampung Jawa 2, Kawasan Perindustrian Bayan Lepas, Barat Daya
Cluster category: Workplace
First case: April 5, targeted screening
Total infected: 23 out of 286 screened
Source:Malaysiakini
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