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A few weeks ago, Frank Lee received a WhatsApp message containing a long list of places to avoid in Singapore where suspected and confirmed cases of the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) had allegedly been.
There were also stories circulating on social media that there was a shortage of surgical face masks.
All this information turned out to be untrue.
While the paranoia and fear is understandable, given that the virus has affected more than 64,000 people worldwide, the spread of fake news and misinformation online has exacerbated the panic, leading Singaporeans to wipe out staples in supermarkets.
Lee, a 62-year-old retiree, told AsiaOne: “Everyone can speak their mind and give their opinion… but what I hate the most is when people forward such messages without verifying themselves the veracity of the news.”
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