Singapore-Hong Kong travel bubble success ‘critical’ for both cities: transport minister

While the surge in Hong Kong’s Covid-19 infections has caused concern, the quarantine-free travel scheme is expected to go ahead on Sunday

Singapore’s Transport Minister says the travel bubble will be a ‘trailblazer’ if done successfully

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A Singapore Airlines aircraft at Changi Airport. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 10:45pm, 20 Nov 2020Updated: 1:12am, 21 Nov 2020

Singapore’s government on Friday said it was watching Hong Kong’s virus situation closely ahead of the launch of the long-awaited travel bubble scheme on Sunday, noting that the city’s Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee had described the situation as “severe”.

“We are working closely with the Singapore Ministry of Health to gather the facts, and will update the public shortly. The Singapore and Hong Kong governments are in close contact on the situation,” the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore said in a statement.

This Week in Asia understands that the first flight on Sunday will go ahead as planned.

But the number of untraceable cases in Hong Kong – nine of 21 locally-transmitted infections on Friday – has cast a shadow on the prospects of its quarantine-free travel arrangement with Singapore, that hinges on there being an average daily number of five or fewer untraceable Covid-19 cases over a seven-day period. If the average in either city goes above five, the arrangement will be suspended for two weeks.

Over the past seven days, including Friday, Hong Kong has had 15 untraceable cases, making the daily average 2.14. This number is expected to rise on Saturday as the preliminary cases – numbering more than 40 as of Friday, with many thought to be untraceable – are confirmed. The city’s official tally now stands at 5,517 cases, with 108 related deaths.

In comparison, Singapore – where almost 94 per cent of its 58,143 cases are linked to foreign-worker dormitories – on Friday reported zero infections within the rest of the community for the 10th straight day.