Ong Ye Kung: Population-wide mpox vaccination not recommended

SINGAPORE: In Parliament on Monday (Sept 9), Health Minister Ong Ye Kung responded to questions regarding the mpox virus, which has spread to many parts of the world, including Singapore.

There are two types of the mpox virus, Clade I and II. In Singapore, all mpox infections are milder, Clade II. There have been 15 confirmed cases in the country so far this year.

However, Clade I infections were circulating in Africa and reported in Sweden, Thailand, and Pakistan by early September among individuals who had travelled to Africa.

In this context, Mr Ong said that while Singapore has had no Clade 1 cases yet, Singapore “should expect it to arrive here at some point as it spreads beyond Africa”.

Nevertheless, the minister, who has called mpox “troublesome but manageable,” said that the response to the virus should be based on its characteristics.

Should Clade I arrive in Singapore, infections should be lower than during the Covid-19 pandemic, as mpox is spread through close contact. If the virus can be spread through airborne transmission, evidence shows it will not be “far and wide” as it did during the last pandemic.

He added that more information about the disease will be learned in the coming months. Fatalities would also be lower if Clade I came to Singapore because of better access to health care.

Also, as smallpox vaccination gives people protection against mpox, a large segment of Singaporeans from the age of 45 and older should have some immunity against it.

Measures to protect Singaporeans from mpox are already in place, including border measures and testing, tracing, and isolation procedures. Physicians are also on the alert to inform the authorities of suspected Clade 1 cases.

As for vaccines, Mr Ong underlined that a population-wide mpox vaccination is “not necessary and not recommended.”

Singapore has a sufficient supply of smallpox vaccines, but the Ministry of Health is preparing to procure more if the need arises,

For now, vaccinations will be focused on healthcare workers, as they provide care for mpox patients and close contact with infected persons.

Nevertheless, the Health Minister urged against complacency, saying that the “situation is evolving and there is still some uncertainty around the disease characteristics.”

Mpox is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus. Its common symptoms are a skin rash or lesions lasting two to four weeks, fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes.

It can be transmitted through physical contact with an infected person, contaminated materials, or infected animals. /TISG

Read also: Travelers flying from mpox high risk regions to undergo temperature checks from today