Singapore confirms two new Chinese coronavirus cases, will bar passengers from Hubei without visas

From noon on Wednesday the city state will turn away any visitors from the province – the epicentre of the virus – who do not already hold visas

The restriction also applies to people of any nationality who have passed through Hubei in the past 14 days

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Visitors wear protective face masks at the Marina Bay waterfront in Singapore on January 26 amid the Wuhan virus scare. Photo: AFP

Published: 4:37pm, 28 Jan 2020Updated: 2:54pm, 25 Feb 2020

Singapore from Wednesday will turn away visitors from Hubei province who do not already hold visas to the island nation, as it reports two more cases of the novel coronavirus – bringing its total number of confirmed cases to seven.

The restriction on entering Singapore or transiting through Changi airport takes effect at noon, and applies to Hubei residents as well as passengers of any nationality who have passed through the province in the past 14 days. The country’s reported cases are all travellers from Wuhan, the capital of Hubei and the epicentre of the virus outbreak.

Passengers from Hubei with existing visas – including permanent residents and holders with long-term visit passes – will be allowed into the country, but will have to be quarantined for 14 days.

Singaporeans and visa holders of any nationality who have passed through Hubei within that time frame will also be quarantined.

Travellers already in Singapore who had passed through the province will be contacted and assessed for risk, and those thought to be at high risk will be quarantined.