Ever since Singapore imposed an entry ban starting on Feb. 2, 2020 on all visitors arriving from mainland China, a potential source of imported infections was cut off.
However, as the Covid-19 disease ravages other parts of the world as it spreads throughout Europe and the United States, Singapore is once again at risk of imported infections -- this time from the western part of the world.
And the worst fears have come to pass as the Ministry of Health announced 17 new cases of Covid-19 on March 16 -- the highest number of reported cases in a single day so far.
Out of these, 11 are imported cases, while four are linked to previous cases.
Two are unlinked cases.
Here is a table to sum up the imported cases and their likely origins:
| Imported case | Details | Prior destination |
| Case 227 | Singapore citizen,
Male, 53 |
France, March 7 to 12 |
| Case 229 | Singapore PR,
Female, 26 |
Spain, Feb. 14 to March 14 |
| Case 230 | Singapore citizen,
Female, 38 |
Eastern Europe, March 3 to 14 |
| Case 231 | Australian national,
Male, 78 |
United States, Feb. 23 to March 14 |
| Case 232 | Australian national,
Female, 65 |
United States, Feb. 23 to March 14 |
| Case 233 | British national,
Male, 61 |
United Kingdom, March 6 to 14 |
| Case 238 | Belgium national,
Female, 83 |
Prior destination not revealed |
| Case 239 | British national,
Male, 28 |
France, March 7 to 14 |
| Case 240 | Singapore PR,
Male, 27 |
Spain, March 7 to 14 |
| Case 241 | British national,
Male, 28 |
France, March 7 to 14 | Case 243 | Singapore citizen,
Male, 36 |
Germany, Feb. 26 to 29
Italy, Feb. 29 to March 7 Switzerland March 7 to 14 |
Top photo via Unsplash