The Singapore Ministry of Health said in a news release on 6 June that they were informed about a confirmed case of monkeypox by the health ministry of New South Wales.
Transited through Changi Airport
The traveller had transited through Singapore to Australia on 2 June, before testing positive there (Australia) after arriving in Sydney on 3 June.
Prior to this, the man had departed Barcelona on 1 June and arrived at Changi Airport on 2 June for his transit flight.
MOH highlighted that the case did not enter Singapore or interact with anyone in the community, and there is no significant risk of community transmission.
Contact tracing
They have also conducted contact tracing for the two affected flights and those who might have come into contact with the traveller at the airport transit area.
13 persons who may have had casual contact with the infected traveller have been put on phone surveillance for 21 days, where they will receive daily phone calls to check on their health status for the entire duration.
MOH’s statement
The Ministry of Health (MOH) was informed on 4 June 2022, by the New South Wales Ministry of Health, of one confirmed case of monkeypox who had transited through Singapore to Australia on 2 June.
The traveller arrived in Sydney on 3 June and had tested positive for monkeypox there. He had departed from Barcelona on 1 June and arrived at Changi Airport on 2 June. He had remained in the transit holding area at Changi Airport until his departure for Sydney on the same day, and did not visit other areas in Changi Airport.
As the case did not enter Singapore or interact with persons in the community, there is currently no significant risk of community transmission. However, as a precautionary measure, we have 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. However, we have put 13 persons who may have casual contact with the traveller on phone surveillance for 21 days. 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.