SINGAPORE: Two men in Singapore have been infected with the mpox variant clade Ib but are in stable condition, the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) said on April 2, adding that both were likely infected through sexual activities.
The risk of mpox spreading to the public is currently low as the disease is mainly transmitted through intimate or prolonged physical contact, including sexual contact, said the agency in a media release.
Population-wide vaccination is therefore not recommended, it added.
Investigations and contact tracing are ongoing for both cases, said the CDA, with their close contacts advised to monitor their health and seek medical care if they are unwell.
High-risk contacts will be recommended the mpox vaccination to reduce their chances of being infected after exposure to the virus.
The first of the two confirmed cases is a 30-year-old male with no recent travel history who reported having sexual contact recently.
He developed symptoms on March 25 and was admitted to hospital on March 30. He was confirmed to be infected with mpox clade Ib on March 31 through laboratory testing.
The CDA said the infected person has since been discharged from hospital and is in a stable condition. He has been placed on home isolation until April 20, pending further clinical review.
The second case is a 34-year-old male who said he travelled and had sexual contact recently. He had been in prolonged close contact with the other infected person recently, and developed symptoms on March 26.
He sought medical care on March 31 and was confirmed to be infected with mpox clade Ib on April 1.
His condition is also stable, and he has been placed on home isolation until April 21, pending further clinical review.
“Persons engaging in high-risk sexual behaviours, such as having multiple or casual sexual partners, are most at risk of acquiring mpox,” said the CDA.
“The public should remain vigilant and protect themselves from mpox by avoiding high-risk sexual activities.”
Mpox is a zoonotic viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus and has two distinct clades. It is mostly found in parts of Central Africa and West Africa, where it is endemic.
The disease is generally mild and self-limiting, and most cases are managed with supportive care, based on information on CDA’s website.
A smallpox vaccine is currently available as a course of treatment to prevent or lessen the severity of the disease for people who have come into close contact with confirmed mpox cases.
The vaccine is available on a self-paid basis at the Department of Sexually Transmitted Infections Control Clinic, Tanjong Pagar Medical Clinic, Dr Jay Medical Centre and Anteh Dispensary.
It will also be available at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases from May.
The mpox clade Ib strain has been detected primarily in travel-related cases worldwide since 2024, with some countries beyond Africa reporting community transmission. Clade I – of which clade lb is a mutated strain – is typically more virulent than the clade II strain.
Common symptoms of mpox include rash, fever, headache, muscle aches, backaches and swollen lymph nodes.
The virus can spread from animals to humans, for example through bites or scratches from an infected animal, via bush meat preparation or consumption, or through direct contact with the blood, body fluids or skin or mucosal lesions of infected animals.
Travellers to countries affected by mpox are advised to practise good hand hygiene, reduce physical contact with people who are unwell and avoid consuming bushmeat.
Those who develop mpox symptoms within 21 days of their return from a trip should seek immediate medical attention and inform the doctor of their travel and exposure history. - The Straits Times/ANN
