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

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Monkeypox often lasts for two weeks to a month and can be deadly. File photo: Reuters

Published: 8:31am, 7 Jul 2022

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.

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.

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