SINGAPORE: As a precaution against mpox, temperature and visual screening will be carried out starting this Friday, August 23, at Changi and Seletar airports for specific inbound travellers and crew.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) announced on Thursday night that such screening will be carried out for passengers arriving on flights from locations that may be exposed to the risk of mpox outbreaks.
Sea checkpoints will also employ comparable screening procedures for ship crew and passengers arriving from mpox-affected areas. MOH states these preventative steps will strengthen Singapore’s “surveillance capabilities” against mpox at its borders.
At airport checkpoints, health advisories have been posted to encourage travellers to take the appropriate preventive measures to avoid contracting the infection. It is highly recommended that travellers heed this advice, particularly if they travel to and from impacted nations.
MOH stated that travellers who exhibit fever, rash, and/or symptoms consistent with the mpox will be referred for a medical evaluation. Thirteen confirmed cases of mpox, all of which are of the less severe Clade 2 infection, have been found in Singapore as of Thursday. To date, no Clade 1 cases have been found in Singapore.
Although mpox has been known for many years, the recent increase in cases has been caused by a new, more transmissible, and deadly strain called Clade 1b.
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