The Ministry of Health said in a statement that Singapore has detected 2 imported cases of the Omicron variant on 2 December, the two cases were isolated upon arrival and there were no interactions with the community.
MOH added that at the moment, there is no evidence of transmission among the community arising from the cases.
The two imported cases are recovering at NCID at the time of writing and were fully vaccinated – with mild symptoms.
Johannesburg, South Africa
Both cases had arrived from Johannesburg via flight SQ479 on 1 December; one of them is a 44-year-old male Singapore PR who transited through Johannesburg – he tested negative in his pre-departure test taken in Mozambique on 29 November.
The other infected person is a 41-year-old female Singaporean who arrived on the same day from South Africa, and she tested negative on 29 November in her pre-departure test in Johannesburg.
Both persons took a PCR test upon arrival in Singapore and were sent immediately to an isolation facility as they waited for the results.
The two were then sent to NCID after their infection was confirmed.
Their PCR results revealed the S-gene target failure which is possibly associated with the Omicron variant, and MOH explained that the National Public Health Laboratory is confirming the variant through whole genome sequencing.
Contact tracing
MOH added that contact tracing efforts are ongoing, with all the 19 other passengers on the same flight testing negative for the coronavirus.
They were all given SHN at designated facilities and quarantines upon their arrival and are required to undergo a testing regime.
Their close contacts will be given a 10-day quarantine at the facilities as well as PCR tests at the beginning and end of their quarantine.
For suspected and confirmed cases of the Omicron variant, home recovery is not available and patients will be sent to NCID for isolation.
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