MOH confirms second local case of monkeypox infection in Singapore

SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed a second local case of monkeypox infection here on Wednesday (July 13), taking the total number of cases confirmed since June to five.

The patient, a 48 year-old Englishman from Britain who resides in Singapore, tested positive for monkeypox on Wednesday. 

"He is currently warded at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) and his condition is stable," MOH said in an update on its website on Wednesday evening. 

The patient developed rashes in the peri-anal region on July 6 and a fever on July 11, and sought medical care on July 13.

He was admitted to NCID on the same day. 

MOH added that the case is not linked to any of the monkeypox cases announced earlier. Contact tracing is ongoing.

The latest infection takes Singapore's total number of monkeypox cases since June to five. Three of them are imported and two are local infections.

Singapore's first monkeypox case this year was an imported one. The patient was a 42-year-old Briton who works as a flight attendant. He tested positive on June 20. 

The country reported its first local infection on July 6, a 45-year-old Malaysian man who lives in Singapore.

Another two imported cases were confirmed on July 7 and July 8. 

The ministry said that all the cases were not linked.

Monkeypox is a viral disease that is caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. It is typically a self-limiting illness where patients recover within two to four weeks. 

"A small percentage of those infected can fall seriously ill or even die. Those particularly vulnerable to complications are young children, pregnant women or immunocompromised individuals," MOH said previously.

It added that the risk to the general public remains low because transmission requires close physical or prolonged contact.