Just as the coronavirus epidemic in China appears to be showing signs of slowing down, its spread to other parts of the world has been escalating, with cases showing up in more than 30 countries now. Major outbreaks are occurring in several countries, including Iran and Italy, showing that the virus knows no borders and that distance does not matter in the age of globalisation and air travel.

These outbreaks make plain that had the authorities in Singapore not moved decisively and quickly, the Republic too could be grappling with the spikes in the number of cases that are being seen elsewhere right now. They also show that efforts to contain the virus can only go so far, especially against a bug as contagious as this one, where people may be infectious without displaying full-blown symptoms.