Singapore confirms 1st local monkeypox case

SINGAPORE, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Singapore's Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday that it has confirmed one local case of monkeypox infection in the city-state.

The patient is a 45-year-old male Malaysian national who resides in Singapore. He tested positive for monkeypox on July 6 and is currently warded at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).

The ministry said that the patient's condition is stable, and he is not linked to the imported case announced by the ministry on June 21.

According to the ministry, the case first developed lower abdomen skin lesions on June 30, and subsequently experienced fatigue and swollen lymph nodes on July 2. On July 4, he developed a fever and a sore throat and sought medical attention where initial tests for other possible medical conditions were done. When these tests returned negative, he was subsequently conveyed to the NCID on July 6, where he was isolated for further assessment.

The ministry said that three close contacts have been identified as of July 6, involving two housemates and one social contact. All close contacts will be placed on quarantine for 21 days from their last contact with the case.

The ministry said that monkeypox 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.