82% of Omicron cases in Singapore entered via VTL

SINGAPORE - Fifty-three of the 65 confirmed imported Omicron cases detected in Singapore as at Monday (Dec 20) had arrived via the vaccinated travel lane (VTL), said the Ministry of Health (MOH).

Of these cases, 41 were detected through on-arrival polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, while the remaining 12 were detected through the Republic's enhanced testing regime.

More than 90 per cent of the Omicron cases who returned via the VTL were returning Singaporeans, permanent residents and long-term residents, said MOH, in response to queries from The Straits Times.

On Wednesday, MOH announced a month-long suspension of the sale of new VTL flight and bus tickets, as the number of imported cases hit a high of 76 cases since the emergence of the Omicron variant.

These measures, which apply from Thursday (Dec 23) until Jan 20, mean that airlines will no longer be allowed to sell new VTL flight tickets for travel into Singapore.

The suspension of sales also applies to those travelling on the Singapore-Malaysia land VTL.

However, eligible travellers who bought tickets earlier will still be allowed to travel via the quarantine-free travel scheme.

VTL travellers who do not adhere to the mandatory seven-day Covid-19 testing regime will face a stay-home notice and enforcement action under the Infectious Diseases Act.

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The ministry said that all close contacts of both suspected and confirmed Omicron cases will be placed under 10-day quarantine at dedicated facilities to minimise transmission.

MOH said: "Our border measures will help to buy us time to study and understand the Omicron variant, and to strengthen our defences, including enhancing our healthcare capacity and getting more people vaccinated and boosted."

In an update on its website on Thursday, MOH announced 322 new Covid-19 infections and two deaths. This brings Singapore’s Covid-19 death toll to 820. 

The number of infections is down from the 335 cases recorded on Wednesday, and it is the 21st day in a row that the number of new coronavirus cases has fallen below 1,000, according to statistics on the MOH website.