SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Health (MOH) on Tuesday (Jun 3) clarified and debunked two false claims circulating on social media regarding COVID-19 autopsy findings and vaccination laws in Singapore.

In a press release, MOH addressed misinformation suggesting that Singapore was the first country to conduct a COVID-19 autopsy and discover that COVID-19 does not exist as a virus but as a bacterium.

It added that this message was first circulated in 2021 but recently resurfaced.

“This is false. As clarified by the ministry then, Singapore has not performed such an autopsy, and it is also not true that COVID-19 is caused by a bacterium,” said MOH.

MOH had previously noted in 2021 that an earlier version of this message had mentioned Russia instead of Singapore, which was also untrue.

It also rejected separate false claims that Singapore has enacted laws to mandate vaccines and jail unvaccinated individuals following Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates’ recent visit to Singapore.

“This is false. Singapore has not passed any laws on vaccinations after Mr Gates’ recent visit to Singapore,” said MOH.

An online search by CNA shows that Mr Gates has been a frequent subject of vaccine and COVID-19 conspiracy theories, with one claiming that he wanted to use vaccines as part of a plan to eliminate billions of people.

“We urge members of the public not to spread unsubstantiated information which may cause public alarm,” the Health Ministry said.

Singapore last month reported an increase in COVID-19 cases, as MOH warned of periodic waves of infection throughout the year similar to other endemic respiratory diseases.

Currently, the main COVID-19 variants circulating in Singapore are LF.7 and NB.1.8, accounting for more than two-thirds of locally sequenced cases. 

Both variants are descendants of the JN.1 variant, which is also the variant used in the formulation of the current COVID-19 vaccine. 

There is currently no indication that the variants circulating locally are any more transmissible than previous variants.