Singapore Ministry of Health Calls Out India’s “New Variant” Claims—What’s the Real Story?
Picture this: a politician in India tweets about a supposedly dangerous new Covid‑19 strain that supposedly arrived in Singapore—claiming it could spark a third wave back home. Meanwhile, Singapore’s health officials are rolling their eyes and issuing a calm‑but‑firm response that says, “Hold up—there’s no such thing.”
What the Singapore Ministry is Saying
- MOH spokesperson kicked that rumor to the curb on Tuesday, May 18, saying “there is no truth whatsoever in the assertions found within the reports.” The ministry announced that the only circulating strain in Singapore is the B16172 variant, which actually originated in India.
- Phylogenetic analysis confirmed B16172 is linked to several clusters in Singapore, especially at Tan Tock Seng Hospital and around Changi Airport.
Why India’s Delhi Chief Minister Bothered About Singapore
Arvind Kejriwal, the chief minister of Delhi, blasted India’s Air Service to Singapore on Twitter, insisting that “a new strain has come from Singapore and could cause a third wave, especially dangerous for kids.” He even suggested abruptly canceling all flights and prioritizing child vaccination.
This tweet, despite its dramatic flair, stoked a firestorm on social media and got picked up by major Indian outlets like Hindustan Times and NDTV—echoing Kejriwal’s warnings in sensational headlines.
Indian Aviation Minister Responds with Cool‑Headed Calm
Hardeep Singh Puri, India’s Aviation Minister, jumped on Twitter fast, saying “no cause for alarm.” He reminded folks that India halted international flights last March and that Singapore has no air‑travel bubble with India. He added that repatriation flights back for stranded Indians are proceeding under tight safety checks.
Going Global: Understanding the B1617 Family
The B1617 lineage first showed up in India in October and has spilled over into dozens of countries—including Singapore. The World Health Organization calls it a “variant of concern,” but it’s not any stranger than the standard updates of Covid’s ever‑shifting strains.
India’s Covid‑19 Numbers—A Quick Snapshot
- Second highest total infections worldwide after the U.S.
- At the time of the tweet, India recorded over 25 million cases and nearly 280 k deaths.
Social Media’s Take—The “Fact‑Check” Crowd
Twitter users quickly popped into action, dissecting Kejriwal’s claims. A user named Manish Sharma tweeted, “The strain in Singapore is B1617… same as India’s strain… Singapore has already closed borders.” Another user, Antaraaneja, pointed out that Singapore’s schools were closed because of the same B1617 strain and called for fact‑checking and an apology.
Bottom Line
Even though Singapore had to let B16172 do its thing for a while, the health ministry’s clear, data‑driven letter left no room for speculative drama. Meanwhile, Skipping flights to Singapore is overkill, and the “new strain” narrative is just—well—new. The world moves forward with science, not sensationalism.
