Singapore confirms first local monkeypox case
- The Ministry of Health said the male patient, who is in a stable condition, is not linked to the imported case announced last month
- Three close contacts of the man were identified so far, and placed in quarantine for 21 days
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 and South Korea report first monkeypox cases
The financial hub is one of the first nations in Asia to officially announce a local case of the virus. More than 6,000 cases have been reported so far across 58 countries this year, director general of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said on Wednesday. He said testing remains a challenge and the actual numbers of monkeypox could be even higher.
Many of the current monkeypox cases are primarily among men who have sex with men. Transmission of monkeypox typically requires direct contact with bodily fluids, infectious sores, or contaminated material, according to the WHO.
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What is monkeypox and should we be worried that it’s spreading?
A cousin of the smallpox virus, monkeypox has previously been mostly confined to regions in Africa but cases are spreading in other countries now with Europe the current epicentre of the outbreak.
The pathogen typically causes flu-like symptoms, followed by a rash that often starts on the face and spreads down the body. The illness often lasts for two weeks to a month and can be deadly.
