City-state’s virus containment is widely lauded but small nation still has among most infections outside of China
With 50 confirmed coronavirus cases, among the highest worldwide outside of China, Singapore’s management of the health emergency is shaping into a key test for the city-state’s political leadership ahead of a soon anticipated general election.
While the wealthy island nation has won wide praise for its containment effort, seen in free face mask distribution and cash allowances for those in quarantine, it has not yet immunized Singaporeans against panic and fear.
Long queues formed in supermarkets as shoppers cleared shelves of toilet paper, instant noodles and rice in a spree of panic buying on February 7 after authorities raised the nation’s disease outbreak alert level to “orange” after an uptick in cases involving local transmission of the disease to people with no travel history to China.
DBS, Singapore’s biggest bank, was forced to evacuate 300 staff from its headquarters at the Marina Bay Financial Center on February 12 after an employee tested positive for coronavirus. The bank said it was conducting contact tracing in relation to the infected employee, while evacuated staff have been advised to work from home.
Nile Bowie is a journalist and correspondent with the Asia Times covering current affairs in Singapore and Malaysia. He can be reached at nilebowie@gmail.com.
With 50 confirmed coronavirus cases, among the highest worldwide outside of China, Singapore’s management of the health emergency is shaping into a key test for the city-state’s political leadership ahead of a soon anticipated general election.
While the wealthy island nation has won wide praise for its containment effort, seen in free face mask distribution and cash allowances for those in quarantine, it has not yet immunized Singaporeans against panic and fear.
Long queues formed in supermarkets as shoppers cleared shelves of toilet paper, instant noodles and rice in a spree of panic buying on February 7 after authorities raised the nation’s disease outbreak alert level to “orange” after an uptick in cases involving local transmission of the disease to people with no travel history to China.
DBS, Singapore’s biggest bank, was forced to evacuate 300 staff from its headquarters at the Marina Bay Financial Center on February 12 after an employee tested positive for coronavirus. The bank said it was conducting contact tracing in relation to the infected employee, while evacuated staff have been advised to work from home.
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