Changi and Seletar airports to start temperature, visual screening to detect mpox cases
Such screening measures will also be implemented at sea checkpoints for ships from mpox-affected areas
CHANGI and Seletar airports will begin temperature and visual screening from Friday (Aug 23) for travellers and crew on flights from places which may be exposed to the risk of mpox outbreaks.
In a press release on Thursday, the Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Transport and Immigration and Checkpoints Authority said such screening measures will also be implemented at sea checkpoints for crew and passengers arriving on ships from mpox-affected areas.
MOH said health advisories have been put in place at air checkpoints, and that travellers are strongly advised to adhere to those.
“Travellers who have fever, rash and/or symptoms compatible with mpox will be referred for medical assessment,” the ministry said.
In addition, all travellers are required to report mpox-related symptoms, such as fever or rash, as well as travel history through the SG Arrival Card.
“Medical practitioners are to notify MOH of all suspect mpox cases. Suspect cases will be isolated in hospital, so that they can be further assessed and tested for mpox,” the ministry said.
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Contact tracing will also be conducted for all confirmed mpox cases to limit the spread of the virus within the community.
It added that close contacts will be offered vaccination to reduce the risk of mpox infection.
“For now, population-wide mpox vaccination is not recommended, given the current disease epidemiology,” the ministry said.
As of Thursday, MOH said it has detected 13 confirmed cases of mpox year to date, all of which were of the less severe Clade II infections.
So far, there have been no Clade I cases detected in Singapore. This strain has been responsible for the outbreak in Africa.
While two cases of the more severe mpox Clade I infection have been detected in Sweden and Thailand, there are currently no reports of local spread in both countries, the ministry said.
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