[ad_1]
SINGAPORE: Sixteen new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Singapore as of noon on Tuesday (December 15), the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in its daily preliminary update.
A case was reported in a dormitory of foreign workers.
The remaining 15 cases were imported and all were placed on stay-at-home notice or isolated upon arrival in Singapore, the Health Ministry said.
Details of the new cases will be released Tuesday night, he said.
READ: Singapore to begin Phase 3 of COVID-19 reopening on December 28
READ: Data on Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine ‘Rigorously and Thoroughly Reviewed,’ HSA Says
Singapore said on Tuesday it will launch a segregated travel route for business, official and “high value” visitors from all countries on short-term stays.
Applications for the Connect @ Singapore initiative will open in mid-January and the first travelers are expected to arrive from the second half of the month, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said.
Travelers will be staying in specific facilities and will need to undergo periodic COVID-19 testing. They are also not allowed to mingle with other travelers or locals, although they can hold meetings with secure management measures in place.
READ: Singapore to launch segregated travel route for business travelers from all countries
READ: Moderna confirms an agreement with the Ministry of Health to supply Singapore with the COVID-19 vaccine
On Monday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that Singapore will begin Phase 3 of its reopening on December 28, with social gatherings of up to eight people allowed in public, up from the current five. Homes can also host up to eight visitors.
He also announced that the first shipment of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is expected to arrive in Singapore by the end of the month, and other COVID-19 vaccines in the coming months.
Moderna confirmed Tuesday that it has concluded an agreement with the Health Ministry to supply mRNA-1273, its COVID-19 vaccine, to Singapore.
Everyone in Singapore who wants a vaccine should be able to get it by the end of next year and it will be free for all Singaporeans as well as long-term residents of the country, Lee said.
CHECK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments
Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram
