The Straits Times | Singapore’s mpox response plan: 21-day quarantine for confirmed cases - video Dailymotion

The Star

Singapore Health Minister Ong Ye Kung outlined the nation's strategy to combat the spread of mpox during a press conference on Wednesday (Sept 4).   WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news  SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar  LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline

Transcript

00:00The virus has not spread to many countries yet, so we do not have full information on

00:10the characteristics of this virus, but we have good information on how it behaves, the

00:15key characteristics, which allow us to develop a response plan.

00:19So things can change as we understand the virus better, as the situation evolves.

00:26And so our plans may have to adapt over time, but as of now, I think we have quite a comprehensive

00:32plan.

00:33I would say, the bottom line is this, I think we were right to be worried about M-FLOG's

00:44Phase 1, WHO was right to have declared a PHERC, but we think this is likely to be a

00:55troublesome virus that we can manage.

00:58It will very unlikely lead to the kind of disruption that happened during COVID-19.

01:08Number one would be border measures.

01:12Since COVID, we have never gotten rid of electronic declaration when you arrive in Singapore.

01:17It's precisely for a situation like this.

01:21We have enhanced the electronic health declaration through the SG Arrival Card.

01:27Travellers now, for those who have recently travelled, you will notice we do ask very

01:31prominently, do you have rash?

01:33We have started that for some time.

01:36And to also declare other M-FLOG's related symptoms, as well as your travel history to

01:44affected areas.

01:46We have put in place temperature and visual screening for symptoms for persons arriving

01:51from higher risk areas, both at the air as well as the sea checkpoints.

01:58Symptomatic travellers, they will be assessed by doctors at the borders and if necessary,

02:03transferred to hospitals for further assessment and testing.

02:09Second area will be contact tracing and quarantine.

02:12M-FLOG's, as Mark has explained, has a fairly long incubation period, up to 21 days.

02:18And so cases may not be picked up at the borders, even if someone is infected.

02:22So chances are it will develop after they enter the border.

02:26So our clinics have been notified and will be on alert to spot such cases and immediately

02:34report to MOH whenever there is a detection and they see symptoms that they suspect might

02:40be M-FLOG's or M-FLOG's clade 1 in particular.

02:44Should they detect a case, existing contact tracing and quarantine protocols will kick in.

02:51All suspected M-FLOG's clade 1 cases will be conveyed to a vaccinated healthcare facility,

02:59likely a hospital as a start, for further assessment and testing.

03:04And if tested positive, these patients will be treated and isolated until they are no

03:09longer infectious.

03:11Then contact tracing will be triggered and conducted for all these confirmed cases of

03:17M-FLOG's National Environment Agency.

03:20We'll then oversee environmental cleaning and disinfect all the key areas that infected

03:27persons have been to in recent days.

03:30Quarantine will then also be activated.

03:33It will be in a vaccinated government quarantine facility.

03:37Duration will be set at 21 days for now because that is the incubation period that we know.

03:44But it starts from the day of exposure.

03:47So for the great majority of people quarantined, not likely they will serve the full 21 days.

03:56So it starts from the last day of exposure to the confirmed case.

04:00So persons under quarantine will be offered vaccination to reduce the risk of infection.

04:06Third area, migrant workers' dormitories.

04:10We have been working with the Ministry of Manpower to develop various contingency plans

04:14since COVID-19 pandemic.

04:17And some of the measures have been activated in the foreign workers' dormitory.

04:22And this includes, one, wastewater testing.

04:25This is being conducted at 120 dormitories currently.

04:30And also at the on-board centre, it can be a useful way to give us an early warning.

04:37Two, temperature and visual screening for newly arrived work permit holders at the on-board centre.

04:44And thirdly, triggering existing protocols, which will track, trace, isolate workers in

04:50the dormitories and to support workers in their recovery.

04:54We have also been working closely with MOE and ECTA to put in place contingency plans

05:00since the COVID-19 pandemic.

05:03Schools have actually quite effective existing protocols to manage outbreaks, such as a hand-foot-mouth

05:10disease.

05:11And they are relevant in countering MPOPS Phase 1.

05:16This includes ensuring good hygiene practices among the students and staff.

05:23Screening the students for symptoms.

05:27And if there is an infected case, the student will be isolated, the premises will be cleaned,

05:34contact tracing will be triggered, and if necessary, the class, the level, or the school

05:40may be temporarily closed to prevent further transmission.

05:43These are all actually in place to manage, say, hand-foot-mouth disease.

05:48And they will be relevant for MPOPS Phase 1 as well.

05:52As mentioned earlier, given the characteristics of MPOPS Clade 1, the most effective way to

05:57protect our children is to have a good response plan that will suppress the transmission of

06:03MPOPS Clade 1 through sensible measures, community measures, contact tracing, and isolation.

06:16Transmission through the air.

06:17This is a question that is uncertain.

06:19We cannot rule that out, but it is quite likely that it is not the primary mode of

06:25transmission.

06:26If that is the case, people who are well do not need to wear a mask.

06:31It is not necessary for MOH to impose a masking requirement on people who are well.

06:39However, should there be evidence of significant respiratory transmission, such as beyond a

06:46household into, say, public areas, then we need to re-evaluate this policy.

06:52And one step we can consider then is to require masking on public transport or indoor crowded

06:58spaces.

06:59But as of now, this is a question mark.

07:02I think more evidence will emerge in the coming weeks and months.

07:06Our current mask stockpiles and local manufacturing capabilities will assure us of adequate supply.

The Straits Times | Singapore’s mpox response plan: 21-day quarantine for confirmed cases

Category

Transcript

Recommended