SGH memo saying PM Lee Hsien Loong has Covid-19 is untrue, says hospital

SINGAPORE - A hospital memo saying that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has tested positive for the coronavirus is untrue, said the Singapore General Hospital in a Facebook post on Friday afternoon (April 3).

The hospital said that it is aware of a fake memo bearing its logo circulating on social media and text messaging platforms.

"We urge the public to be socially responsible and not to circulate this fake news," it said.

PM Lee will be addressing the nation at 4pm on Friday, according to a post on his Facebook page. "The current situation is under control, but we want to take a few more steps now," he said.

The number of Covid-19 cases rose past 1,000 this week. Singapore has also seen five deaths from the coronavirus.

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There have been various fake news items circulating online amid the coronavirus outbreak.

On Sunday, Enterprise Singapore debunked claims circulating on social media and text-messaging apps that one of its safe distancing ambassadors had fined a member of the public.

On Saturday, SingPost said that an audio clip circulating on WhatsApp about a postal worker infected with coronavirus spitting on letters is "absolutely untrue in Singapore".

Last Thursday, Communications and Information Minister S. Iswaran told reporters at Parliament that rumours that the Government will raise the Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (Dorscon) alert to Red, the highest level, were false.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.