VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Travellers wait for their luggage at Changi Airport in Singapore. (File photo: iStock) - 

Singapore has lifted its ban on passengers from 10 African countries from entering or transiting in the country, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said late on Sunday (Dec 26).

The countries are: Botswana, Eswatini, Ghana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

From 11.59pm on Sunday, passengers arriving in Singapore with travel history to these countries within the past 14 days will come under the country's Category IV border measures.

This means they must take a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test within two days before departure to Singapore, as well as an on-arrival PCR test. They will also have to serve a 10-day stay-home notice at a dedicated facility. Another PCR test will be administered at the end of their quarantine period. 

Previously, long-term pass holders and short-term visitors with recent travel history to these African countries were not allowed to enter or transit following initial reports on Omicron cases there. Singapore citizens and permanent residents returning from these countries would have to serve a 10-day stay-home notice at a dedicated facility.

MOH said it initially addoped a "more cautious risk containment approach" to reduce the spread of the Omicron COVID-19 variant into Singapore. 

"The Omicron variant has since spread widely around the world," it said, adding that Singapore is updating its travel restrictions accordingly. 

"As the global situation evolves, we will continue to adjust our border measures in tandem with our roadmap to becoming a COVID-resilient nation."//CNA