This resource guide was created as part of a learning package on Pandemics. For other related resource guides, please head to this directory of Learning Packages.

Note: This learning package was created in 2020 and the information was up-to-date at the point of publication. Please check gov.sg for any latest updates on the COVID-19 situation in Singapore.

COVID-19 : The Singapore Situation

Photo credit: Retrieved from pixabay.com/illustrations/corona-coronavirus-virus-pandemic-4901878/

In late 2019, Singapore’s medical practitioners took notice when reports of severe pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China emerged. Soon after, temperature screening at Changi Airport was implemented.¹ In addition, a multi-ministry taskforce co-chaired by Minister for Health Gan Kim Yong and Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong was formed on 23 January 2020 to “deal with the eventuality” of the virus spreading to Singapore.²

That same day, Singapore reported its first imported case of COVID-19.³ The first cases of local transmission were reported on 4 February 2020.⁴ By 4 April 2020, there were 1,189 confirmed cases and six deaths.⁵

Measures to minimise the risk of transmission such as contact tracing were put in place when confirmed cases were reported.⁶ The Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON), which reflects the current disease situation, was raised from Yellow to Orange on 7 February 2020 indicating that the virus, while severe and spreading easily, was being contained. Additional precautionary measures were then introduced such as the suspension of inter-school and external activities such as the national school games, learning journeys and camps, daily workplace health checks and stepping up of business continuity plans.⁷

Over the weeks, other measures were introduced including Leave of Absence (LOA) or Stay-Home notices (SHN); safe distancing; closure of public entertainment venues and advisories to cancel or defer non-essential events and mass gatherings.⁸ When rates of infection, particularly unlinked cases continued on an upward trend, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on 3 April 2020, announced a slew of additional measures to contain the outbreak. These include closing most workplaces, moving to full home-based learning for schools and institutes of higher learning; and restrictions on movement and gatherings of people. These measures would take effect from 7 April to 4 May 2020.⁹

Find out more about Singapore’s COVID-19 situation and its containment measures through the following resources.

Websites

1. White Paper on Singapore’s Response to COVID-19

White Paper on Singapore’s Response to COVID-19. (2023, March 8). Gov.sg. Retrieved March 5, 2025.

2. The COVID-19 chronicles

The COVID-19 chronicles. (2023, February 16). Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS. Retrieved May 20, 2024.

3. Circuit breaker to minimise further spread of COVID-19

Circuit breaker to minimize further spread of COVID-19. (2020, April 3). Ministry of Health. Retrieved April 4, 2020.

4. Tightened List of Essential Services and Measures for Workplaces Which Remain Open

Tightened List of Essential Services and Measures for Workplaces Which Remain Open (2020, April 21). Ministry of Trade and Industry. Retrieved May 20, 2024.

5. Advisories on COVID-19

Advisories on COVID-19. (2020, March 30). Ministry of Manpower. Retrieved March 31, 2020.

6. COVID-19 outbreak

COVID-19 outbreak. (2020). CNA. Retrieved March 31, 2020.

7. Why Singapore’s coronavirus response worked – and what we can all learn

Why Singapore’s coronavirus response worked – and what we can all learn. (2020, March 18). The Conversation. Retrieved April, 2020.

8. Updates on COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) local situation

Updates on COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) local situation. (2020). Ministry of Health. Retrieved March 31, 2020.

Videos and Podcasts

1. How Singapore does contact tracing

How Singapore does contact tracing. (2020, March 28). The Straits Times. Retrieved 2020, March 31.

2. Coronavirus: Is it possible to carry COVID-19 without realising?

Coronavirus: Is it possible to carry COVID-19 without realising? (2020, March 20). The Straits Times. Retrieved 2020, March 31.

3. COVID-19 clusters in Singapore

COVID-19 clusters in Singapore. (2020, March 21). CNA. Retrieved 2020, March 31.

4. How Singapore teaches students to stay safe during the COVID-19 outbreak

Source: How Singapore teaches students to stay safe during the COVID-19 outbreak. (2020, February 14). CNA. Retrieved 2020, March 31.

5. New COVID-19 test kits used to screen swab samples collected at Singapore checkpoints

Source: New COVID-19 test kits used to screen swab samples collected at Singapore checkpoints. (2020, March 5). CNA. Retrieved 2020, March 31.

6. Singapore’s new COVID-19 tracing app TraceTogether: How it works

Source: Singapore’s new COVID-19 tracing app TraceTogether: How it works. (2020, March 20). CNA. Retrieved 2020, March 31.

7. Singapore tightens COVID-19 containment

Source: Singapore tightens COVID-19 containment. (2020, March 27). CGTN. Retrieved 2020, March 31.

8. Vivian Balakrishnan ‘live’ on Squawk Box CNBC

Source: Vivian Balakrishnan ‘live’ on Squawk Box CNBC. (2020, March 17). CNBC. Retrieved 2020, April 1.

9. Money FM 89.3 podcast: A game changer in the fight against COVID-19

Money FM 89.3 podcast: A game changer in the fight against COVID-19. (2020, March 25). The Straits Times. Retrieved 2020, March 31.

10. Money FM 89.3 podcast: Global COVID-19 situation

Money FM 89.3 podcast: Global COVID-19 situation. (2020, March 27). The Straits Times. Retrieved 2020, March 31.

11. #NoTapis: Koronavirus: Perlukah Singapura dikenakan ‘lockdown’?

#NoTapis: Koronavirus: Perlukah Singapura dikenakan ‘lockdown’? (2020, March 25). Berita harian. Retrieved 2020, March 30.

This podcast explores the control measures Singapore has undertaken to break the transmission of the COVID-19 virus and features guest speaker, Mr Amrin Amin, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs & Ministry of Health.

12. 动态追踪：冠状病毒19新加坡疫情

联合早报。（2020年3月29日）。动态追踪：冠状病毒19新加坡疫情。 Retrieved 2020, March 30.

This microsite maintained by Lianhe Zaobao (联合早报) provides the latest statistics on the COVID-19 situation in Singapore as well as information on the development of the disease and clusters formed in Singapore.

Photo credit: National Library Board

Journal Articles

1. COVID-19 in Singapore – Current experience: Critical global issues that require attention and action

Wong, J.EL., Leo, Y.S., & Tan, C.C. (2020, February 20). Interrupting transmission of COVID-19: Lessons from containment efforts in Singapore. JAMA Network. Retrieved March 30, 2020.

2. COVID-19: Notes from the frontline, Singapore’s primary healthcare perspective

Lim, W.H., & Wong, W.M., (2020, March 26). COVID-19: Notes from the frontline, Singapore’s primary healthcare perspective. Annals of Family Medicine. Retrieved March 31, 2020.

3. COVID-19: Trying times for Singapore’s social resilience

Mohsina, N. (2020, February 27). COVID-19: Trying times for Singapore’s social resilience. No. 931. RSIS. Retrieved March 31, 2020.

4. Investigation of three clusters of COVID-19 in Singapore: Implications for surveillance and response measures

Pung, R., Chiew, M.P.H., Young, B.E., Chin, S., & Chen, M.I-C., et al. (2020, March 28 – 3 April). Investigation of three clusters of COVID-19 in Singapore: Implications for surveillance and response measures. The Lancet. 395 (10229): 1039–1046. Retrieved March 31, 2020.

5. Preparing for COVID-19: Early experience from an intensive care unit in Singapore

Liew, M.F., Siow, W.T., MacLaren, G., & See, K.C. (2020, March 9). Preparing for COVID-19: Early experience from an intensive care unit in Singapore. Critical Care. 24 (83). Retrieved March 31, 2020.

6. Safe patient transport for COVID-19

Liew, M.F., Siow, W.T., Yau, Y.W., & See, K.C. (2020, March 18). Safe patient transport for COVID-19. Critical Care. 24: 1-3. Retrieved March 31, 2020.

7. Evaluation of the effectiveness of surveillance and containment measures for the first 100 patients with COVID-19 in Singapore – January 2–February 29, 2020

Ng, Y., Li, Z., Chua, Y.X., Chaw, W.L., & Zhao, Z., et al. (2020, March 20). Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 69 (11): 307–311. Retrieved March 31, 2020.

Disclaimer/ Rights statement
The information in this resource guide is valid as of April 2020 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history on the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.
All Rights Reserved. National Library Board Singapore 2020.

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References