SINGAPORE, Sept 4 — Singapore Health Minister Ong Ye Kung announced today that healthcare workers at the highest risk of exposure to mpox clade I, as well as direct close contacts of confirmed cases, will receive vaccinations.
This measure aims to provide protection to those most in need, he said during a press conference at the Ministry of Health.
According to Singapore’s Straits Times, Ong also said that immediate contact tracing will be conducted for individuals who have been in close contact with confirmed clade I cases, followed by a 21-day quarantine — matching the incubation period observed in Africa.
The vaccine Jynneos, a ‘live’, non-replicating formula effective against mpox and smallpox, will be offered free of charge to these high-risk groups, he added.
The minister assured that Singapore’s current stockpile of Jynneos is adequate for this vaccination strategy.
He said the Ministry of Health (MOH) will keep monitoring the situation and adjust the vaccination approach as the global mpox situation and vaccine supplies evolve.
“Mpox is a troublesome virus which we can manage,” he was quoted as saying.
Ong emphasised the importance of adapting strategies to the unique characteristics of each virus, advising against using tactics from the Covid-19 pandemic for mpox clade I.
“Never fall into the trap of fighting the last war,” he said.
While the clade I virus appears more infectious than other forms, it is less transmissible compared to respiratory viruses like influenza or Covid-19. Therefore, Ong stated that universal vaccination is unnecessary.
Singapore’s MOH has instructed medical practitioners and healthcare institutions to be vigilant in detecting and reporting mpox cases, particularly clade I infections. Suspected cases will be transferred to hospitals for further assessment and treatment if required.
Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is typically mild but can be fatal in rare cases. It presents with flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions. As of July 31, 2024, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported 102,977 confirmed cases of mpox across both clades I and II, including 219 deaths from 121 countries.
Singapore has reported 14 cases of clade II but none of clade I in 2024. On August 14, the WHO declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years.
In response to the potential importation of mpox, Singapore implemented temperature and visual screenings at air and sea checkpoints from August 23.
Although there are no direct flights from countries with mpox outbreaks, these screenings at Changi and Seletar airports aim to monitor travellers from regions with potential exposure. Similar measures will apply at sea checkpoints.
