2 more Omicron cases transited through Singapore to Australia and Malaysia: MOH

Contact tracing is ongoing for both cases, and there is currently no evidence of any community transmission from them. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG

SINGAPORE - Two more people infected with the Covid-19 variant Omicron travelled through Singapore to Malaysia and Australia, said the Ministry of Health (MOH).

MOH, in a statement on Friday (Dec 3), said the first case was a traveller who departed from Johannesburg in South Africa on Nov 27 on Singapore Airlines Flight SQ481, and arrived at Changi Airport the same day for his transit flight.

He then travelled to Sydney on Singapore Airlines Flight SQ231 , arriving on Nov 28.

The New South Wales Ministry of Health on Friday confirmed he was a positive case, said MOH.

The man had earlier tested negative on Nov 24 before leaving South Africa, and had remained in the transit holding area at Changi Airport until his departure for Sydney, said MOH.

It added that he did not enter Singapore or visit other areas in Changi Airport.

The second case was a traveller who arrived in Singapore on Nov 19 from Johannesburg via Singapore Airlines Flight SQ479, and remained in the transit holding area until her departure to Malaysia the same day.

This case was earlier reported as Malaysia's first detected case of the Omicron variant.

Malaysian Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, at briefing earlier on Friday, said the traveller was a 19-year-old woman who is a student at a private university in Ipoh, Perak, and had completed her Covid-19 vaccination.

On Friday night, MOH said 15 passengers on board SQ479 had been identified as her close contacts, but none had entered Singapore or interacted with the community in Singapore, and all had remained in the transit holding area.

MOH added that contact tracing is ongoing for both cases, and there is currently no evidence of any community transmission from them.

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