COVID-19 requires all countries to fight together: Singaporean PM

Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong called for close cooperation among all countries to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in a video message posted on Facebook on Wednesday.

He said in the video message, which is for the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Regional Office for a virtual meeting of health ministers, all countries must cooperate closely with one another and learn from one another's experience.

"This is the only way humanity can bring this pandemic under control," he said.

Lee said COVID-19 is a crisis that requires all countries to fight together. "Each country has different circumstances, social norms and resources," he said. "But we are fighting the same enemy, COVID-19."

The prime minister said the battle against COVID-19 is far from won, but it can be won if all countries fight together.

As for Singapore, Lee introduced the city-state's efforts to fight COVID-19, including the Circuit Breaker, the month-long substantially tighter safe distancing measures started this Tuesday.

He said the Circuit Breaker measures are painful but essential, and the next weeks will be crucial.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)