jaws_am
CG Top Poster Club


- Messages
- 29,925
- Joined
- May 29, 2008
- Messages
- 29,925
- Reaction score
- 12,416
- Points
- 631
SINGAPORE: For the second time in two years, the infectious disease mpox has been declared a public health emergency of international concern.
The World Health Organization's (WHO) highest level of alert - same as how COVID-19 was categorised - comes on the back of an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo spreading to neighbouring countries.
ADVERTISEMENT
The latest alert was issued on Aug 14, 2024.
In mid-2022, thousands of mpox cases circulated around the world, including in Singapore, leading to the WHO making a similar declaration.
The disease was previously known as "monkeypox" until that term was phased out in November 2022.
The virus that causes mpox is transmitted from human to human through large respiratory droplets or body fluids, especially from rashes and sores and intimate contact including hugging, kissing and sexual intercourse.
Who's at risk?
The chances of getting the disease are "extremely remote”, said infectious disease specialist Leong Hoe Nam, who runs a private practice at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital.
ADVERTISEMENT
“To get it from individuals in Singapore in the local context, (the chances are) very slim, unless your partner has (it),” he said.
“The proof is in the pudding. The cases which we had of mpox, we quarantined all the contacts but none of them developed mpox subsequently.”
Dr Leong added that even in a crowded MRT train, “the physical proximity which you have is not sufficient (for the disease to spread)”.
"Transmission usually occurs when there is close skin-to-skin contact with someone who may have been infected (including sexual contact)," said Dr Shawn Vasoo, who is clinical director at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).
"Usual or transient interactions like sharing an office space, or sharing a meal are activities that are low risk and unlikely to spread mpox."