Ong Ye Kung Responds to WHO’s Declaration of Monkeypox as a Global Health Emergency

In light of the 16,000 monkeypox cases recorded worldwide since May, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared it as a global health emergency.

The risk assessment is listed as “moderate to high”, ergo it’s being deemed as a threat equal to COVID-19, so it’s an international cause for concern.

Monkeypox Situation in Singapore

While there have been outbreaks in several countries, Singapore is thankfully spared from that.

We currently stand at eight cases in total, four imported and four local.

The seventh and eighth were reported on Sunday (24 Jul), with one 46-year-old man from Estonia and another 26-year-old Singaporean man.

The Estonian came to Singapore from London on 21 July. He later tested positive for monkeypox on Sunday, after developing rashes in the groin area, a fever, and swollen lymph nodes.

The Singaporean experienced rashes in his groin area, as well as other parts of his body. Likewise, he tested positive for monkeypox on the same day.

Both of them are currently quarantined in the National Centre for Infectious Diseases and are in stable conditions.

The temporary recommendations that were issued by WHO have been in place since May. It includes isolating confirmed cases and quarantining close contacts for at least 21 days while monitoring their conditions for developing symptoms.

Lower-risk contacts are also placed on phone surveillance for three weeks, which is the maximum incubation time for the virus.

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Health Minister Ong Ye Kung’s Announcement

Earlier this morning (25 Jul), Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung acknowledged that WHO has declared monkeypox as a Public Emergency of International Concern, despite the International Health Regulations being unable to come to a consensus.

Nonetheless, monkeypox has reached the point where it meets the criteria of being an “extraordinary event” and thus requires international cooperation in response.

Mr Ong highlights the number of the monkeypox cases detected in Singapore thus far, and stated that the cases were promptly handled and there has been no evidence of infection being transmitted to other people in the community.

“As of now, given the self-limiting nature of the disease, the Ministry of Health does not recommend the mass vaccination of the whole population against monkeypox, because the benefits do not outweigh the risk,” Mr Ong adds.

The Ministry will continue to monitor the situation closely. 

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Featured Image: Shutterstock / Arif biswas