Singapore dismissed media reports quoting Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as saying a “very dangerous” strain of the novel coronavirus was prevalent in the city-state on May 18, saying such claims were false.
Kejriwal stated on Twitter that the new coronavirus strain could infiltrate India in the form of a third wave.
“The new form of coronavirus in Singapore is said to be very dangerous for children. It could reach Delhi in the form of a third wave. My appeal to the Central government:
1. Cancel all air services with Singapore with immediate effect
2. Work on vaccine alternatives for children on a priority basis,” the Delhi chief minister had said in a tweet in Hindi.
Responding to Kejriwal’s tweet, Singapore’s health ministry said: “There is no truth whatsoever in the assertions found within the reports.”
“There is no Singapore variant. The strain that is prevalent in many of the COVID-19 cases in recent weeks is the B.1.617.2 variant, which originated in India. Phylogenetic testing has shown this B.1.617.2 variant to be associated with several clusters in Singapore,” it said in a statement.
In response to the chief minister’s appeal, India’s Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri stated that only a few flights between the two countries are operated under the government’s Vande Bharat Mission to bring stranded Indians back, and that “all precautions are being taken.”
While there is no known Singapore strain of the coronavirus or any that originated in the city-state, Kejriwal appeared to be referring to a May 17 media report. The variant first discovered in India posed a threat to Singapore’s children, according to the report.
Reacting to the media report, Dr VK Paul, member (health), NITI Aayog, told a briefing on May 18, “We are examining it”.
Aviation Minister Puri replied to the Delhi CM’s tweet, saying, “Kejriwal ji, all international flights have been stopped since March 2020. We have no air bubble with Singapore either.”
Only a few flights are operated between the two countries under the Vande Bharat Mission to bring back Indians who have become stranded there, he added. “We are still keeping an eye on the situation. All precautions are being taken,” Puri noted.
The chief minister stated earlier this month that Delhi should prepare for the third wave of COVID-19. On May 18, the national capital reported 4,482 COVID-19 cases, the lowest single-day increase since April 5, and 265 fatalities, with the positivity rate falling to 6.89 percent.
On May 17, Delhi reported 4,524 cases and 340 fatalities, with an 8.42 percent positivity rate.
