A traveller who had transited through Singapore en route to Australia was diagnosed with monkeypox.
In a press release the Ministry of Health (MOH) said that it was informed on 4 June 2022, by the New South Wales Ministry of Health, of one confirmed case of monkeypox who had transited through Singapore to Australia on 2 June.
Monkeypox is a rare disease that causes a rash that spreads, fever, chills and aches, among other symptoms.
TESTED POSITIVE FOR MONKEYPOX
According to the ministry statement, the traveller arrived in Sydney on 3 June and had tested positive for monkeypox there. He had departed from Barcelona on 1 June and arrived at Changi Airport on 2 June. He had remained in the transit holding area at Changi Airport until his departure for Sydney on the same day, and did not visit other areas in Changi Airport.
As the case did not enter Singapore or interact with persons in the community, there is currently no significant risk of community transmission, the ministry added.
However, as a precautionary measure, we have conducted contact tracing for the two affected flights and those who might have come into contact with the traveller at the airport transit area.
13 Under Surveillance
There were no assessed close contacts, and hence no requirement for quarantine. However, we have put 13 persons who may have casual contact with the traveller on phone surveillance for 21 days, MOH added.
Persons under phone surveillance will receive daily phone calls to ascertain their health status until the end of the monitoring period. Should they report symptoms that are suggestive of monkeypox infection, they will be medically assessed and may be conveyed to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases for further evaluation.
Soon after various countries reported Monkeypox cases, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung had already warned Singaporeans that “It should not be a surprise if Singapore detects a monkeypox case in the coming weeks, as people in the country travel widely and also due to its position as a commercial and international hub” on Saturday (May 28).
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