06/07/2022

Singapore confirms first local case of Monkeypox

Update 16 Sep 2022: Three more cases of monkeypox detected in S'pore, bringing total to 19

There were three new cases of monkeypox reported in Singapore, bringing the total number of infections to 19, according to figures released by the Ministry of Health (MOH).

In a weekly report of infectious diseases uploaded to its website on Thursday, three additional cases of monkeypox were recorded in the week between Sept 4 and Sept 10.

MOH's previous update about the disease on Sept 8 reported no new cases for the week of Aug 28 to Sept 3. The last monkeypox case was recorded in the week between Aug 14 and Aug 20.


One more case of monkeypox detected in S'pore, bringing total to 16

One more case of monkeypox has been found in Singapore, bringing the total number of infections to 16, according to figures from the Ministry of Health (MOH). In a weekly report of infectious diseases uploaded to its website on Thursday (Aug 25), an additional case of monkeypox was recorded in the week between Aug 14 and Aug 20.

The Straits Times has contacted MOH for more details. MOH's last update about the disease was on Aug 5, and reported the 14th and 15th cases, including one that was Singapore's first linked case. The 54-year-old man was a contact of Case 13, a 33-year-old man whose diagnosis was confirmed on Aug 2.

Since Monday, people who have monkeypox have been able to recover at home if they are assessed by a doctor to be clinically stable, and if their place of residence is suitable for home recovery. Previously, patients assessed by public hospitals to be clinically stable had to recover at a monkeypox isolation facility with telemedicine support.


Monkeypox patients can recover at home from Aug 22

People who have monkeypox can recover at home from next Monday (Aug 22). This is provided they are assessed to be clinically stable by a doctor, and their place of residence is suitable for home recovery, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Friday (Aug 19).

Currently, all confirmed cases assessed by public hospitals to be clinically stable recover with telemedicine support at a monkeypox isolation facility. MOH said that those assessed to be at higher risk of complications will continue to be managed in hospitals.

All confirmed cases will be issued an isolation order and are required under the Infectious Diseases Act to remain isolated until they are medically assessed to be non-infectious, MOH said. The ministry added that local and international data shows that monkeypox is typically a mild and self-limiting illness where the majority of patients recover within two to four weeks without requiring hospitalisation.


Singapore reports first local linked case of monkeypox; total of 15 infections confirmed since June

Singapore on Friday (Aug 5) reported two new cases of monkeypox, including its first local linked case - a contact of a man whose infection was confirmed earlier this week. 

The 54-year-old man had no recent travel history, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in an update on its website. He tested positive on Friday and is a contact of a 33-year-old man known as Case 13.

The other case that was confirmed on Friday is a 25-year-old man. He had no recent travel history and his infection is classified as local unlinked, said MOH. The two new cases bring the total number of infections in the country since June to 15. Of the 15 cases, five are imported while 10 are local.



13th monkeypox case reported in S'pore; 33-yr-old man is a local unlinked case

The 13th case of monkeypox in Singapore was detected on Tuesday (Aug 2).

The man, 33, is a local unlinked case with no recent travel history, said the Ministry of Health on its website on Wednesday (Aug 3). He is the eighth local unlinked case. The remaining five cases are imported ones with recent travel history to Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany and Australia.

The ministry had announced on Monday that all monkeypox patients who are deemed clinically stable from Monday will be transferred to a dedicated isolation facility. The quarantine period for close contacts will now be cut to 14 days, followed by seven days of monitoring for symptoms through phone calls. Previously, the quarantine period was up to 21 days.

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Singapore reports 11th case of monkeypox infection

The Ministry of Health (MOH) reported one more case of monkeypox infection on Wednesday (Jul 27), bringing the total number of infections in the country since June to 11.

The patient is a 32-year-old Singaporean man, said MOH in an update on its website.  He tested positive for the virus on Tuesday, two weeks after developing a fever on Jul 12. He also had lesions on his body, said MOH. The man sought medical care on Tuesday and was admitted to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases on the same day.

He is in stable condition and contact tracing is ongoing. The man's infection is not linked to any of the earlier monkeypox cases, said the Health Ministry. Of the 11 monkeypox cases here, six are local and five are imported.



Singapore reports 10th case of monkeypox

One more imported monkeypox case was reported in Singapore on Tuesday (July 26), bringing the total number of cases detected here to 10.

The 28-year-old Taiwanese man who lives in Singapore had recently returned from Canada. He tested positive on Tuesday, and is currently warded at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in an update on its website. His condition is stable. Of the 10 monkeypox cases here, five are local and five are imported. So far, the cases are not linked.

More than 16,000 monkeypox cases have been detected in more than 75 countries, up from about 3,000 at the end of June. On July 23, the World Health Organisation declared monkeypox a global health emergency. This is the strongest possible call to action by the global organisation, signalling a new urgency and scale for a disease previously confined to western and central Africa. Covid-19 was given the same label back in 2020.

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Singapore reports 9th case of monkeypox
Singapore's ninth monkeypox case since June is a 31-yr-old man. None of the cases so far are linked.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) reported one more case of monkeypox infection on Monday (Jul 25), bringing the total number of infections in the country since June to nine.

The patient is a 31-year-old Filipino man, said MOH in an update on its website. He tested positive for the virus on Monday, four days after developing a fever on Jul 21. He also had rashes on his face and other parts of his body, said MOH.

The man sought medical attention at Singapore General Hospital (SGH) on Sunday and was admitted the same day, added the ministry. He is in stable condition and contact tracing is ongoing. The man's infection is not linked to any of the earlier monkeypox cases, said the Health Ministry.

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7th and 8th cases of monkeypox confirmed in Singapore
This brings the total number of cases detected here to eight, comprising four local and four imported cases

Two more cases of monkeypox were reported on Sunday (July 24), with one a 46-year-old man from Estonia and the other a 26-year-old Singaporean man.

This brings the total number of cases detected here to eight, comprising four local and four imported cases. None have been linked to one another.

In updates on monkeypox on its website, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said the Estonian man came to Singapore from London on July 21. He tested positive for monkeypox on Sunday, after he developed rashes in the groin area and had fever and swollen lymph nodes. The Singaporean man developed rashes in the groin area as well as other parts of his body and also tested positive on Sunday. Both of them were taken to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases and are in stable condition.

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Two more monkeypox cases confirmed in Singapore

Two more cases of monkeypox infection in Singapore have been confirmed, bringing the total number of infections in the country to eight. In an update on its website on Sunday (Jul 24), the Ministry of Health (MOH) said that both the new cases are not linked to any of the earlier monkeypox infections.

The first is an imported case involving a 46-year-old Estonian man who came to Singapore from London on Jul 21 and tested positive for monkeypox on Jul 24. He developed rashes, had a fever and swollen lymph nodes, and sought medical care on Jul 23, according to MOH. He was admitted to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) on the same day.

The second case involves a 26-year-old Singaporean man who tested positive for monkeypox on Jul 24. He developed rashes and sought medical care on Jul 24. He was subsequently admitted to NCID on the same day. Both cases are in stable condition and contact tracing is ongoing, said MOH.



Singapore reports 3rd local case of monkeypox, bringing total to 6
The latest case of monkeypox in Singapore is a 41-year-old Singaporean man

Singapore reported its third local case of monkeypox in Singapore on Thursday (Jul 14), taking the total number of cases reported in the country since June to six.

In an update on its website on Thursday, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said that the patient is a 41-year-old Singaporean man. He is not linked to any of the other monkeypox cases announced earlier by MOH, said the ministry.

This marks the sixth monkeypox case announced in Singapore since June. Three of the cases are imported, and the other three are local. None of the cases so far are linked.


Singapore's 2nd local monkeypox case is UK man residing here, bringing total to 5
The British man, 48, who resides in Singapore, first developed rashes in the perianal region on 6 July, 2022. (PHOTOS: Getty Images)

Singapore authorities confirmed a second local case of monkeypox infection on Wednesday (13 July), bringing the total number of infections linked to the outbreak to five. The case is a 48-year-old British man who resides in Singapore, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on its website. The five cases – all men – include another local case and three imported cases.

The Briton is not linked to the other cases, said MOH, adding that contact tracing is ongoing. After developing rashes in the perianal region – area of the body surrounding the anus – on 6 July and a fever on 11 July, the man sought medical care on Wednesday. He was subsequently admitted to National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) on the same day and tested positive for monkeypox The man is currently warded at the centre, where he is in stable condition.

More than 6,000 cases of monkeypox have now been reported from 59 countries and territories in the current outbreak, according to the latest update by the World Health Organization (WHO).


S'pore confirms 2nd local case of monkeypox
The fifth monkeypox case in Singapore

The Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed one more local case of monkeypox infection in Singapore on Jul. 13, 2022.

The patient is a 48-year-old male British national who resides in Singapore. This case is not linked to previous monkeypox cases in Singapore. Prior to this, there were three imported cases and a local case confirmed here. According to MOH, he tested positive for monkeypox on Jul. 13.

The man found rashes in the perianal region on Jul. 6 before developing fever on Jul. 11, MOH said. He then sought medical care on Jul. 13 and was admitted to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) on the same day. The man is now warded at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), and his condition is stable. Contact tracing is ongoing.


Singapore confirms fourth case of monkeypox infection since June
The patient is a 30-year-old India national who lives in Singapore and had recently returned from Germany

The Ministry of Health (MOH) on Friday (July 8) reported one more imported case of monkeypox in Singapore, taking the total number of cases confirmed since June to four. The patient is a 30-year-old India national who lives in Singapore and had recently returned from Germany.

MOH said that the man's condition is stable, and that his case is not linked to the other monkeypox cases earlier announced by the ministry. The latest infection takes Singapore's total number of monkeypox cases since June to four. Three of them are imported and one is a local infection.

Singapore's first monkeypox case this year was an imported case. The patient was a 42-year-old British national who works as a flight attendant. He tested positive on June 20. The country reported its first local infection on Wednesday, a 45-year-old Malaysian man who lives in Singapore. Another imported case was confirmed on Thursday, a 36-year-old male Indian national who lives in Singapore and had recently returned from the United States. The ministry said that all the cases are not linked.


Fourth monkeypox case confirmed in Singapore
The patient recently returned to Singapore from Germany and was taken to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases

Another case of monkeypox has been confirmed in the Republic, bringing the total number of cases detected since June to four, said the Ministry of Health on Friday (July 8).

An imported infection, the patient is a 30-year-old male India national who lives in Singapore and recently returned from Germany. He developed a rash in the groin area on June 30, and sought medical care when he came down with a fever on Thursday. Three out of the four monkeypox cases here emerged this week. None of the four cases are linked.

On Thursday, a 36-year-old male India national who had recently returned from the United States also tested positive for monkeypox after developing anal discomfort on June 28. The first local case of monkeypox infection was detected on Wednesday. The patient, a 45-year-old male Malaysia national who resides in Singapore, first developed lower abdomen skin lesions on June 30. Singapore’s first case of monkeypox in 2022 was confirmed on June 21, when a 42-year-old male British national who works as a flight attendant was confirmed to be an imported case.


Malaysian man confirmed as S'pore's first local Monkeypox case
Monkeypox contained in Singapore and unlikely to be in community, says expert

The Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed the first local case of monkeypox infection in Singapore.

The patient is a 45-year-old male Malaysian national who resides in Singapore. He tested positive for monkeypox on Wednesday (July 6).

He is currently hospitalised at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) and his condition is stable. "He is not linked to the imported case announced by MOH on June 21," said the ministry.


CONFIRMED LOCAL CASE OF MONKEYPOX IN SINGAPORE

The Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed one local case of monkeypox infection in Singapore. The patient is a 45 year-old male Malaysian national who resides in Singapore. He tested positive for monkeypox on 6 July 2022. He is currently warded at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) and his condition is stable. He is not linked to the imported case announced by MOH on 21 June.

The case first developed lower abdomen skin lesions on 30 June, and subsequently experienced fatigue and swollen lymph nodes on 2 July. On 4 July, he developed fever and a sore throat and sought medical attention where initial tests for other possible medical conditions were done. When these tests returned negative, he was subsequently conveyed to NCID on 6 July, where he was isolated for further assessment. As of 6 July, three close contacts have been identified, involving two housemates and one social contact. All close contacts will be placed on quarantine for 21 days from their last contact with the case. Contact tracing is ongoing.

Monkeypox is typically a self-limiting illness where patients recover within two to four weeks. A small percentage of those infected can fall seriously ill or even die. Those particularly vulnerable to complications are young children, pregnant women or immunocompromised individuals. Given that transmission requires close physical or prolonged contact, the risk to the general public remains low.


Singapore confirms first local case of monkeypox infection
Test tubes labeled "Monkeypox virus positive and negative" are seen in this illustration taken May 23, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration / File Photo

Singapore has confirmed its first local case of monkeypox, the health ministry said late on Wednesday.

The patient is a 45-year-old male Malaysian national who resides in Singapore. He tested positive on Wednesday.

Three close contacts of the man were identified as of Wednesday, and all will be placed under quarantine for 21 days since their last contact with him, the statement added.


Singapore Confirms Its First Local Case of Monkeypox
A medical laboratory technician holds a suspected monkeypox sample.Photographer: Pablo Blazquez Dominguez

Singapore has confirmed its first local case of monkeypox, according to a statement from the Ministry of Health.

The patient is a 45 year-old male Malaysian national who resides in the city-state, said the ministry late Wednesday. His infection is not linked to an imported case announced on June 21, it added.

The man, who is in a stable condition, began showing symptoms from June 30 and tested positive for the virus on July 6 and is currently at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases, according to the same statement. Three close contacts have been identified so far, including two house-mates and one social contact, and placed in quarantine for 21 days.


Singapore confirms first local monkeypox case
Monkeypox often lasts for two weeks to a month and can be deadly. File photo: Reuters

Singapore has confirmed its first local case of monkeypox, according to a statement from the Ministry of Health.

The patient is a 45 year-old male Malaysian national who lives in the city state, said the ministry late Wednesday. His infection is not linked to an imported case announced on June 21, it added.

The man, who is in a stable condition, began showing symptoms from June 30 and tested positive for the virus on July 6 and is currently at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases, according to the same statement. Three close contacts have been identified so far, including two housemates and one social contact, and placed in quarantine for 21 days.


Singapore confirms first local case of monkeypox
The case is a 45-year-old Malaysian man who resides in Singapore, said the Ministry of Health in a press statement on 6 July, 2022. (PHOTOS: Getty Images)

Singapore authorities have confirmed the city-state's first local case of monkeypox infection.

The case is a 45-year-old Malaysian man who resides in Singapore, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in a press statement on Wednesday (6 July). To date, three close contacts of the infected man have been identified, involving two housemates and one social contact. All close contacts will be quarantined for 21 days from their last contact with the case, said MOH, adding that contact tracing is ongoing.

He is not linked to the separate imported case of monkeypox announced by MOH on 21 June, according to MOH. The latter is a 42-year-old British man who works as a flight attendant and was here between 15 and 17 June, and again on 19 June. He tested positive for monkeypox on 20 June.


Singapore confirms first local case of monkeypox infection
File photo of monkeypox vesicles on a hand. (Photo: iStock)

The Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed the first local case of monkeypox infection in Singapore.

The patient is a 45-year-old male Malaysian national who resides in Singapore. MOH said the man tested positive for monkeypox on Wednesday (Jul 6). "He is currently warded at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) and his condition is stable," MOH said in a media statement on Wednesday. 


Singapore confirms first imported case of Monkeypox
Monkeypox contained in Singapore and unlikely to be in community, says expert

The Ministry of Health (MOH) on Thursday (July 7) confirmed another imported case of monkeypox in Singapore.

The patient is a 36-year-old male Indian national who lives in Singapore and had recently returned from the United States, said MOH. He tested positive for monkeypox on Thursday and is currently warded at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).

The man is not linked to the earlier monkeypox cases, the ministry said. It added that contact tracing is ongoing. The country reported its first local case of monkeypox on Wednesday - a 45-year-old male Malaysian national.

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First case of Monkeypox in Singapore

The Singapore Ministry of Health (MOH) reported the 1st laboratory-confirmed case of monkeypox, on May 9, 2019. Additionally, the Singapore MOH released a press statement on May 9th, offering advice for the public, and communicated which measures are being taken to minimize the risk of any potential onward transmission of the monkeypox virus.

Human-to-human transmission, while possible, is limited. A person is infectious only during the period when he has monkeypox symptoms, particularly a skin rash.

There have been reported mortality rates up to 10 percent during outbreaks, with most deaths occurring in younger age groups.

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6 things to know about the virus

A Nigerian national tested positive for monkeypox on Wed (May 8), the first case of the rare viral disease reported here.

The man is currently in an isolation ward at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases and is in stable condition.

22 out of 23 individuals who have been identified as close contacts of the patient are under quarantine as a precautionary measure. Here are 6 things to know about monkeypox:
  • WHAT IS MONKEYPOX?
  • WHY IS IT CALLED MONKEYPOX?
  • WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF MONKEYPOX?
  • HOW DOES MONKEYPOX SPREAD?
  • HOW IS MONKEYPOX DIAGNOSED AND TREATED?
  • IS AN OUTBREAK LIKELY IN SINGAPORE?

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What you need to know about the disease

Authorities have confirmed Singapore's first case of monkeypox infection, imported by a 38-year-old Nigerian who arrived on Apr 28. The patient, who may have contracted the rare disease from eating bush meat while in Nigeria, tested positive for the virus on May 8. He is in stable condition in an isolation ward at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).

People who were in close contact with him have been put in quarantine although they have had no symptoms.

Here are some things you need to know about the disease:
  • How is monkeypox spread, and should we be worried about an outbreak?
  • What are the symptoms?
  • How dangerous is it?
  • How is monkeypox diagnosed and treated?

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Monkeypox facts
  • Monkeypox is a viral disease that produces pox-like lesions on the skin. It is closely related to smallpox but is not nearly as deadly as smallpox was.
  • The history of monkeypox is new (1958), and medical professionals diagnosed the first human monkeypox cases and differentiated them from smallpox in the early 1970s.
  • Monkeypox virus (MPXV) causes monkeypox. The majority of cases are transmitted from animals (rodents) to humans by direct contact.
  • Monkeypox is contagious. Person-to-person transfer, probably by droplets, can occur infrequently.
  • Risk factors for monkeypox include close association with African animals (usually rodents) that have the disease or caring for a patient who has monkeypox.
  • During the first few days, symptoms are nonspecific and include fever, nausea, and malaise. After about four to seven days, lesions (fluid-filled pustules, papules) develop on the face and trunk that ulcerate, crust over, and begin to clear up after about 14-21 days, and lymph nodes enlarge. There may be some scarring.
  • The diagnosis of monkeypox is often made presumptively in Africa by the patient's history and the exam that shows the pox lesions, however, a definitive diagnosis is made by PCR, ELISA, or Western blotting tests that are usually done by the CDC or some state labs. Definitive diagnosis is important to rule out other possible infectious agents like smallpox.
  • Treatment may consist of immediate vaccination with smallpox vaccine because monkeypox is so closely related to smallpox and thus cross-protective. Treatment with an antiviral drug or human immune globulin has been done.
  • In general, the prognosis for monkeypox is good to excellent as most patients recover. The prognosis may decrease in immunocompromised patients, and patients with other problems such as malnutrition or lung disease may have a poorer prognosis.
  • Monkeypox is preventable as long as people avoid direct contact with infected animals and people. Vaccination against smallpox seems to afford about an 85% chance of avoiding the infection. There is no commercially available vaccine specifically for monkeypox.
  • Research is ongoing to study antivirals, genetics, and rapid tests for monkeypox.

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