Third local monkeypox case reported in Singapore

THE Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed the third local case of monkeypox on Thursday (Jul 14), bringing the total number of cases reported here to 6.

In an update on its website on Thursday night, the ministry said the patient is a 41-year-old male Singaporean.

The patient is not linked to any of the monkeypox cases announced by MOH earlier.

He developed genital rashes on Jul 9 and sought medical care on Tuesday.

He was subsequently admitted to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) on Wednesday and tested positive for monkeypox on Thursday.

The patient remains warded at NCID and his condition is stable, the ministry said. Contact tracing is ongoing.

This comes a day after Singapore reported its second local case — a 48-year-old British man residing in Singapore — who tested positive for monkeypox on Wednesday.

None of the cases reported here so far are linked.

Monkeypox is a rare viral disease, with those infected usually experiencing fever, headache, muscle ache, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills, lethargy and skin rash.

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Most patients recover within 2-3 weeks, MOH had said previously, though it noted that young children, pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals are among those at higher risk of severe illness.

Some 9,200 cases of monkeypox have been reported across 63 countries this year, the World Health Organisation said on Tuesday.

The United Nations agency said on Thursday that it will convene a second emergency meeting of its expert monkeypox committee on Jul 21 to decide whether the outbreak constitutes a global health emergency. THE STRAITS TIMES