The Ministry of Health (MOH) on 3 June 2025 addressed and debunked two recurring false claims circulating on social media concerning COVID-19 autopsy findings and alleged vaccination laws in Singapore.
In a press release, MOH clarified misinformation suggesting Singapore was the first country to perform a COVID-19 autopsy and conclude that the virus was actually a bacterium.
“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,” MOH stated.
The ministry noted the original message surfaced in 2021, attributing the claim to Russia. That version was also false and has now resurfaced with Singapore falsely cited instead.
Separately, MOH rejected online claims that Singapore enacted laws mandating COVID-19 vaccinations and imposing jail terms for unvaccinated individuals after a visit by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.
“This is false. Singapore has not passed any laws on vaccinations after Bill Gates’ recent visit to Singapore,” MOH said.
Gates has long been targeted by vaccine conspiracy theories, including baseless accusations involving population control.
“We urge members of the public not to spread unsubstantiated information which may cause public alarm,” the ministry added.
It is notable that no correction direction under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) was issued in relation to this misinformation, either in June 2025 or during its initial circulation in June 2021.
Singapore has recently experienced a rise in COVID-19 cases. MOH previously warned of periodic waves throughout the year, resembling patterns seen in other endemic respiratory illnesses.
Currently, the predominant COVID-19 variants in Singapore are LF.7 and NB.1.8. These account for over two-thirds of locally sequenced cases.
Both are descendants of the JN.1 variant, used in the formulation of the present COVID-19 vaccine.
There is no evidence that these circulating variants are more transmissible than their predecessors.
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