Just a week ago, Singapore was known worldwide for its swift action against the Covid-19 pandemic. But today there is widespread skepticism about his approach, with the Asian nation reporting its biggest daily rise in coronavirus cases. An additional 447 cases are reportedly confirmed, bringing the total to 3.699 in the country. Among the new cases, more than 400 infections, about 90%, are linked to facilities housing migrant workers in nearby neighborhoods. Although the country, already in lockdown, is struggling to combat the spread of the virus, questions remain about the effectiveness of its previous approach that involved widespread use of technology. The Singapore government went into action mode in January, isolating the first recorded case and tracing that person's contacts. Within a few weeks, the government proposed a ``Trace Together'' app (available on Android and Apple platforms), and more than a million people have been using it since last Tuesday (April 14). The app, which is also used in a few other countries, uses your phone's Bluetooth function to show health authorities your network of contacts over the past few days: the app's website claims that all data is anonymized, so that no names or identifying information will be transmitted. This way, if a person tests positive for Covid-19, health authorities can send an anonymous warning to other people with the app whose phone was near the person's phone in the previous days. This warns these people to isolate themselves and seek evidence. The Singapore approach initially seemed to work with a robust testing regimen for viral DNA and tests for viral antibodies (this 'serology' test will confirm if you have been exposed to the virus and recovered, meaning you are probably immune). . But as the world went into lockdown in mid-March, many indigenous Singaporeans were sent home. And although they have been tested and isolated if necessary, there is a sudden increase in the number of people infected. Singapore is a small country with rigorous controls. The country's health infrastructure is also described as robust and efficient. In other words, this is exactly the kind of place where technological systems can operate most efficiently. Despite all this, if Singapore faces a major challenge, it only highlights the scale of the problem facing the world. And technology may not be the savior in these extraordinary times.