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SINGAPORE: Singapore reported 87 new COVID-19 cases as of noon on Friday (September 11), with no infections in the community, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in its preliminary daily update.
This brings Singapore’s case count to 57,316.
Of the new cases on Friday, 73 are people residing in dormitories, of which 33 are from the Avery Lodge Dormitory and most of whom had been quarantined before.
The remaining cases were detected through surveillance tests, such as routine tests with biweekly lists from the Ministry of Health.
“This allows us to detect bedroom cases early, including asymptomatic ones, so that we can quickly fence them off to prevent further transmission,” the ministry said.
There are also 14 imported cases, which had been assigned a stay-at-home notice when they arrived in Singapore.
More updates will be given on Friday night.
CROSS-BORDER TRAVEL
On Friday, Singapore and Japan announced that both countries will launch a “reciprocal green lane” to facilitate essential commercial and official travel for residents on September 18.
“The commercial route will allow the safe resumption of cross-border travel and commercial exchanges with the necessary safeguards for public health,” said the joint statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).
These safeguards include pre-departure and post-arrival testing, as well as the need to adhere to a controlled itinerary for the first 14 days in the host country.
This is the first framework of its kind that Japan will implement with another country and will help restore connectivity and support the economic recovery of Japan and Singapore, MFA said.
READ: Singapore and Japan to launch ‘green lane’ for business, official travel on September 18
READ: Singapore welcomes talks with Hong Kong on resuming cross-border travel
Singapore’s Consulate General in Hong Kong said in a statement Thursday that Singapore welcomes discussions with Hong Kong on the gradual resumption of cross-border travel between the two sides, with safeguards in place.
“The resumption of safe cross-border travel between Singapore and Hong Kong will benefit both cities, given our strong business and people-to-people ties,” the Consulate General said, noting that Singapore has brought its COVID-19 situation under control. .
“We have one of the lowest COVID-19 death rates in the world and we only see a handful of new cases in our community per day. This has given us the confidence to reopen our economy, gradually and carefully, “he added.
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