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SINGAPORE: The Singapore authorities upgraded to the public “soon” about the upcoming release of a bubble of air travel to Hong Kong, after an increase in cases of COVID-19 in Hong Kong on Friday (November 20).
Singapore will launch an air travel bubble with Hong Kong on Sunday, with an initial one-day flight to each city.
However, Hong Kong recorded 26 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, with the city’s top health official describing the situation as “dire.”
It was previously reported that the deal would be suspended for two weeks if the seven-day moving average for unrelated coronavirus infections exceeds five in either city.
In response to a CNA inquiry, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said members of the public have asked whether plans for the travel bubble will continue as planned in light of the COVID-19 situation in Hong Kong.
READ: Singapore-Hong Kong Air Travel Bubble – What You Need to Know
READ: Hong Kong closes more schools as COVID-19 situation becomes ‘severe’, says health minister
“We are working closely with the Singapore Ministry of Health to collect the facts and will update the public soon,” CAAS said.
“The governments of Singapore and Hong Kong are in close contact on the situation.”
Under the Singapore-Hong Kong air travel bubble deal scheduled to begin on Sunday, travelers will not be subject to quarantine or stay-at-home notice.
Travelers are required to take COVID-19 testing and dedicated flights, but there are no restrictions on the purpose of travel and a controlled itinerary is not required.
Hong Kong has been spared dramatic escalation of cases of COVID-19 observed in other major cities, and new daily infections have been mostly single-digit or double-digit recent weeks.
Of the 26 new cases reported on Friday, 21 were local transmissions, which led to Health Secretary Sophia Chan, to say that the city “has probably entered” in a fourth wave of infections.
Hong Kong health authorities said another 40 people are likely to be infected, pending final confirmation.
Hong Kong now has a total of 5,517 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 108 deaths.
Singapore reported 4 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, all of which were imported. No cases of local transmission were reported for the tenth consecutive day. Singapore’s COVID-19 infection count is 58,143, with 28 deaths.
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