Hong Kong-Singapore travel bubble announcement delayed as Singapore quarantines hundreds of migrant workers

Sources said the announcement could happen next week with the scheme starting end-May

Singapore is expected to report more local cases on Thursday after 12 migrant workers at a dorm tested positive this week

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Causeway Bay in Hong Kong. The travel bubble’s delay comes as Singapore is expected to report a rise in local cases. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Published: 12:30pm, 22 Apr 2021Updated: 5:05pm, 22 Apr 2021

Hong Kong and Singapore have delayed a planned Thursday announcement of the launch of a long-awaited travel bubble to next week, according to two people familiar with the matter.

One of them said that as of Wednesday night, the understanding among parties involved in the planning of the announcement was that it would take place on Monday. Those involved in the planning were also told that the start date of the quarantine-free travel arrangement would be moved to May 26, from May 19. The person was told these dates may be further revised over the weekend.

The second source said there was no reason given for the delay in the announcement, but it was initiated by the Singapore side. Both asked not to be identified as they were not authorised to speak publicly on the matter.

A Singapore Airlines plane is seen from a viewing gallery of Changi Airport last year. Singapore has been a vocal proponent of the travel bubble. Photo: Reuters

In response to media queries, a spokesperson for Singapore’s Transport Ministry said both sides had not fixed a date to announce the resumption of the travel bubble “but will do so once we are ready, hopefully very soon”.

Singapore has been a vocal proponent of the arrangement in a bid to boost the aviation and tourism industries that have taken a big hit from the Covid-19 pandemic. The travel bubble was supposed to start last November but was cancelled at the eleventh hour as Hong Kong faced a new wave of infections.

Since November, Singapore has only had a handful of locally-transmitted infections each day, typically ranging from no cases to about five, but has on average seen 10 to 40 daily imported cases, as foreigners with work passes and student passes return to the country, along with those on dependent passes.

On Thursday, the health ministry said that 17 migrant workers at a dormitory tested positive. This came after a 35-year-old Bangladeshi worker, who lives in the same dormitory, tested positive on Monday during routine testing, despite being fully vaccinated.