SINGAPORE — The Ministers for Health and Trade and Industry have each instructed the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma) office to issue correction directions over posts about the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak.

The first order, issued by Health Minister Gan Kim Yong on Friday (Jan 31), was against a news website called AB-TC City News. It had run an article falsely claiming that five Singaporeans had contracted the Wuhan coronavirus without visiting China.

The article was subsequently shared by opposition member Lim Tean and 'Say NO to PAP' on their respective Facebook pages.

The Pofma office clarified that as of 9pm on Thursday, there has been no local transmission of the Wuhan virus in Singapore. All 13 confirmed cases here to date are Chinese nationals who travelled from Wuhan.

"While both parties have taken down their Facebook posts containing the falsehood, they are still required to carry a correction notice on their respective Facebook pages. This will ensure that persons who had viewed their posts are informed of the facts," the Pofma office said in a statement.

This is the second time that Mr Lim has been directed to correct his Facebook posts under Pofma. He received a correction direction from Education Minister Ong Ye Kung in December 2019.

The second correction order issued on Friday, by Minister of Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing, was against States Times Review (STR) founder Alex Tan.

Mr Tan had written a post on the STR Facebook page on Thursday at 10.10am, falsely claiming that Singapore had run out of face masks.

According to the Pofma office, Mr Tan's post falsely alleged that Senior Minister of State for Health Lam Pin Min said Singapore had run out of face masks since Jan 26. He also claimed Dr Lam had blamed Singaporeans for “insensible and irresponsible” use of face masks.

“In his Facebook post on 28 January 2020, Dr Lam Pin Min was clearly pictured in a warehouse which showed part of the Government stockpile of surgical masks. His Facebook post also stated clearly that there is sufficient supply of masks if people use them sensibly and responsibly,” the Pofma office said.

A targeted correction direction was also issued to Facebook, requiring the social media platform to carry a correction notice on Mr Tan's post. Facebook has since complied with the order.

This is Mr Tan's second run in with Pofma. He first received a correction direction from Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam last November.