Singapore Prime Minister Says Coronavirus Impact Already Worse Than SARS: ST
Singapore Prime Minister Says Coronavirus Impact Already Worse Than SARS: ST
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Singapore is battling a “very intense outbreak” of the coronavirus and its economic impact on the island is already more severe than that from SARS in 2003, the Straits Times reported, citing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
The coronavirus may take longer to be eradicated here compared to severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, the paper quoted Lee as saying. Economies in the region are more interlinked and China plays a larger part, resulting in a greater impact, he said.
“I can’t say whether we will have a recession or not,” Lee was cited as saying. “It’s possible, but definitely our economy will take a hit.”
Last year, Singapore’s economy expanded 0.7%, the slowest pace in a decade.
To contact the reporter on this story: Michelle Jamrisko in Singapore at mjamrisko@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Nasreen Seria at nseria@bloomberg.net, Joyce Koh, Shamim Adam
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