Singapore intensifies mpox prevention measures

SINGAPORE, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) — Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH) on Wednesday updated detection, tracing, isolation, and vaccination measures to prevent the mpox Clade I infection.
Medical practitioners and healthcare institutions should be vigilant in detecting and reporting mpox cases. Close contacts of a confirmed Clade I case will be quarantined in a designated government facility for 21 days, MOH noted.
Suspect Clade I case will be isolated while pending test results. All cases who test positive will continue to be isolated in healthcare facilities until they are no longer infectious.
Mpox is spread mainly through close physical contact so mask-wearing is not recommended to prevent the disease, MOH noted.
The government will offer vaccine JYNNEOS to healthcare workers who are at the highest risk of exposure to mpox for additional protection. However, population-wide mpox vaccination is not recommended at present.
Singapore has put in place temperature and visual screening at airports and sea checkpoints for inbound travelers and crew members from mpox-affected areas.
Singapore has not detected any deadlier Clade I infection to date. All 14 mpox cases in the island state this year were of the less severe Clade II subtype, local media said. ■