Man who went to Sydney via Singapore, diagnosed with monkeypox

 

A man who tested positive for monkeypox left Barcelona on June 1 and arrived in Singapore on June 2 before departing for Sydney several hours later. (WHO pic)

SINGAPORE: The Singapore health ministry today said that it was informed on Saturday by New South Wales health officials that a man who had transited through Singapore en route to Australia on June 2 was diagnosed with monkeypox.

In a statement here, it said the traveller arrived in Sydney on June 3 and had tested positive for monkeypox there.

“He had departed from Barcelona on June 1 and arrived at Changi Airport on June 2. He had remained in the transit holding area at Changi Airport until his departure for Sydney on the same day. He did not visit other areas in Changi Airport,” the ministry said.

As the traveller did not enter Singapore or interact with persons in the community, the ministry added that “there is currently no significant risk of community transmission”.

As a precautionary measure, the ministry said it had conducted contact tracing for the two affected flights and those who might have come into contact with the traveller at the airport transit area.

There were no assessed close contacts, and hence no requirement for quarantine, it said.

“However, we have put 13 persons who may have had casual contact with the traveller on phone surveillance for 21 days,” the ministry said.

It said persons under phone surveillance will receive daily phone calls to ascertain their health status until the end of the monitoring period.

“Should they report symptoms that are suggestive of monkeypox infection, they will be medically assessed and may be conveyed to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases for further evaluation,” the ministry said. - FMT