Singapore’s health authorities have confirmed the country’s first imported case of monkeypox since 2019, joining at least 42 countries that have reported such infections this year.
The virus was detected in a 42-year-old male British flight attendant who tested positive on June 20 and is currently in stable condition at the country’s National Center for Infectious Diseases, the country’s health ministry said in a statement late Tuesday. The city-state last confirmed an imported case of monkeypox in May 2019.
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The latest case involves the flight attendant and 12 other flight crew classed as close contacts and currently in quarantine, according to a person with direct knowledge of the situation. The British High Commission in Singapore is said to be in discussions with the airline and local authorities to help repatriate the flight crew.
In an emailed statement, British Airways said it was working closely with health authorities and providing support for the crew.
A recent resurgence of the viral disease, which typically leads to symptoms such as fever and rash, has led to more than 2,100 cases being found across the globe as of mid-June, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO). The majority of cases have been reported in Europe, with cases also cropping up in Australia and the United States.
Transmission of monkeypox typically requires direct contact with bodily fluids, infectious sores, or contaminated material, according to the WHO. Symptoms usually last two to four weeks, although some severe cases can prove fatal.
