Singapore limits Taiwan travel as both countries battle Covid-19 resurgence


SINGAPORE/TAIPEI, May 16 (Bloomberg): Singapore won’t allow entry to short-term travelers holding an Air Travel Pass with travel history to Taiwan within the past 21 days amid rising infections.

Others with travel history to Taiwan in the past 21 days who are not Singapore citizens or permanent residents will be required to take a test within 72 hours before departure, and would need to present a negative test result as a condition of approval for entry, the Singapore Ministry of Health said in a statement late on Saturday (May 15).

Singapore citizens, permanent residents and long-term pass holders entering the country who have been to Taiwan, will be subject to a 14-day stay-home notice at dedicated facilities, followed by an additional 7-day quarantine at their homes.

Singapore also reported 19 new local virus cases on Saturday and 12 imported infections.

Checking in to a hotel room in Singapore, starting Sunday (May 16), could also mean agreeing to random checks from staff to ensure only two guests are in the room, a step one hotel in the Marina Bay area is asking customers to agree to.

People who breach the safety measures may be fined as much as S$10,000 ($7,506) or jailed for as long as six months, or both, according to the document given to staycationers at check-in.

Meanwhile, Taiwan ordered stricter social distancing measures for its capital and surrounding areas on Saturday after a sudden spike in coronavirus cases in a place that has so far weathered the pandemic comparatively unscathed.

Authorities raised the alert level for Taipei and New Taipei City after 180 new domestic coronavirus infections were confirmed, up from 29 cases the previous day.

The new restrictions mean no more than five people can gather indoors and 10 outdoors -- but authorities stopped short of ordering a total lockdown.

Schools, government offices, workplaces and most businesses can stay open as long as social distancing measures can be maintained and masks are worn at all times. - Bloomberg

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