Singapore tightens precautionary measures at air, sea checkpoints following mpox case in Thailand

SINGAPORE: Starting Friday (23 August), temperature and visual screenings will be conducted at Changi and Seletar airports for certain inbound travelers and crew as a precautionary measure against mpox, according to the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Thursday night.

This screening will target travelers arriving from regions with a potential risk of mpox outbreaks.

Currently, there are no direct flights between Singapore and countries experiencing mpox outbreaks.

Similar screening measures will also be applied at sea checkpoints for crew and passengers arriving from affected areas.

MOH stated that these precautionary measures aim to enhance Singapore's "surveillance capabilities" against mpox at its borders.

Health advisories have been issued at air checkpoints, urging travelers to take personal precautions to avoid infection.

"Travellers are strongly advised to adhere to the advisory, especially if they are travelling to and from affected countries."

"Travellers who have fever, rash and/or symptoms compatible with mpox will be referred for medical assessment," MOH added.

As of 22 August, Singapore has reported 13 confirmed mpox cases this year, all of which are of the less severe Clade 2. No Clade 1 cases have been detected in Singapore to date.

MOH stated that it is closely monitoring the global situation, "Thus far, the outbreak remains generally confined to Africa, with two cases of the more severe mpox Clade I reported in Sweden and Thailand. "

"There are currently no reports of local spread in these two countries," said MOH.

MOH added that the existing precautionary measures to detect and manage mpox cases remain unchanged. All travelers must report mpox-related symptoms, such as fever or rash, as well as their travel history, through the SG Arrival Card.

Medical practitioners are required to notify the Health Ministry of any suspected mpox cases. Suspected cases will be isolated in hospitals for further assessment and testing.

For confirmed mpox cases, contact tracing will be conducted to prevent community transmission.

All identified contacts will be advised to monitor their health for symptoms of mpox and seek medical advice if they feel unwell. Close contacts will also be offered vaccination to reduce the risk of infection.

MOH emphasized that its current vaccination strategy focuses on individuals at high risk of infection, such as close contacts of mpox cases.

"MOH is monitoring the situation closely and will adjust our vaccination strategy accordingly. For now, population-wide mpox vaccination is not recommended, given the current disease epidemiology," the ministry added.

The smallpox vaccine, Jynneos, is currently available to individuals identified as close contacts of confirmed mpox cases.

According to the MOH website, the vaccine is estimated to provide over 80% protection against mpox, although data on the level and duration of this protection is still limited.

Thailand Confirms Asia's First Case of the Deadly New Clade 1b Strain

On Thursday afternoon, Thailand confirmed Asia's first known case of the new, more deadly Clade 1b strain.

A 66-year-old European man, who arrived in Bangkok from Africa on August 14, was hospitalized with symptoms of mpox.

Thai authorities are monitoring 43 individuals who had close contact with the man, with monitoring required for a period of 21 days.

While mpox has been known for decades, the emergence of the newer and more dangerous Clade 1b strain has recently led to an increase in cases.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Clade 1b has a fatality rate of approximately 3.6%, with children being particularly vulnerable.

On 14 August, WHO declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years, following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has spread to neighboring countries.

On 15 August, the WHO warned of the likelihood of further imported cases of this new strain in Europe, following Sweden’s report of the first such infection outside Africa.