Singapore extends stay-home period for travelers from Vietnam to 21 days

The extension, to take effect from Friday, will apply to visitors arriving from all countries and territories, except Australia, Brunei, mainland China, New Zealand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau, The Strait Times newspaper reported.

Travelers from Vietnam will have the option of staying the last seven days at their places of residence.

The stay-home notice, issued under the Infectious Diseases Act, requires travelers to remain in their place of residence or dedicated facility for a stipulated period.

Singapore's Ministry of Health said all visitors will undergo a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test on arrival, the 14th day and before the end of the quarantine period.

Travelers from Vietnam had earlier been allowed to opt out of dedicated facilities and serve their 14-day stay-home notice period at their place of residence.

Singapore has recently been struggling with new community transmissions as the pandemic situation worsened in Asian countries. It has recorded over 61,000 infections and 31 deaths so far.

Vietnam has reported 38 cases since April 29, when the latest wave began.

The Vietnamese government said Tuesday that people who have completed the mandatory 14-day quarantine and tested negative twice would not be let go immediately, but did not specify the duration of further stay.

The latest outbreak in Vietnam began when a Ha Nam Province man who arrived from Japan tested positive a few days after being released from his 14-day centralized quarantine and testing negative twice while there.