In Singapore, the prospect of having to wear tracking devices has triggered a wave of protests - socially distanced via an online petition.

Last Friday, the possibility of such a tracking device was discussed in the country's parliament - after a voluntary tracking app did not work as well as hoped.

Even though it wasn't clear whether the devices would be mandatory, the idea has led to an online petition which over the weekend amassed around 30,000 signatures.

“We – as free, independent, and lawful members of the public of Singapore – condemn the device’s implementation as blatant infringements upon our rights to privacy, personal space, and freedom of movement,” the online petition says.

Singapore is one of the worst-hit countries in the region with more than 37,000 infections - largely among the city state's foreign workers who live in packed dormitories that make social distancing very difficult.