The 1957 outbreak hit Singapore in May and infected over 150,000 people. While widespread, it was relatively mild but still killed 28 people in Singapore.
Schools were closed for 11 days but although people were warned to keep away from crowded places (an early form of safe distancing), those who were infected were usually not very ill and continued to go out, spreading the virus.
The MInister for Health then A.J. Braga said it was not possible to stop the infection short of closing the borders and ports of Singapore and Malaya, which he said was 'unthinkable'.
