Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong thinks that the economic loss caused by the Covid-19 epidemic to Singapore will overcome the SARS pandemic.

"The corona virus broke out wildly and its impact was much greater than the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003. Although it is too early to confirm whether Singapore's economy is in a recession, this is complete. "Our economy will be hit hard," Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said at a press conference while visiting Changi Airport today.

The outbreak of corona pneumonia (Covid-19) started in Wuhan City in December 2019 and spread to all 31 Chinese provinces. As of 14/2, the Covid-19 epidemic appeared in 26 countries and territories with more than 64,000 people infected, 1,383 deaths including 1381 in China, one in the Philippines and one in Japan.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he visited Changi airport because the Singaporean aviation industry was badly affected by the Covid-19 epidemic. "The number of flights is reduced by a third, and stores are badly damaged, while the airport still has to operate to keep Singapore open for business operations," he said.

He predicted that the Covid-19 epidemic would have a significant impact on Singapore over the next few months, as regional economies are more closely linked and China's role here is much larger than in 2003.

Singapore's tourism industry is expected to lose 18,000-20,000 visitors a day, partly because of a restriction on entry for people coming to China during the Covid-19 epidemic and partly due to tourists and businessmen. to this country, which has recorded 67 positive cases with nCoV. Some countries such as Israel, Kuwait, Qatar and South Korea recommend that citizens do not come to Singapore.

Singapore has the third highest number of nCoV infections in the world and the highest in ASEAN. Seventeen patients recovered and were discharged, while another six were in critical condition.

Singapore first detected SARS infection in March 2003, the number of cases subsequently increased to 238, of which 33 died. The SARS pandemic caused economic growth in Singapore in the second quarter of 2003 to decrease by 4% compared to the same period last year. The SARS epidemic was prevented in May 2003, helping the country's GDP in the third quarter of 2003 to increase by 5.6%, the annual increase of 4.5% and higher than the 3.9% of 2002.

Countries with patients infected with corona virus. Click on image to see details.