Izah Azahari
The Ministry of Health (MoH) is closely monitoring overseas Monkeypox reports to ensure the Sultanate is able to identify cases, conduct laboratory tests and secure medication if necessary, Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary (Policy and Management) at the MoH Dr Hajah Anie Haryani binti Haji Abdul Rahman announced at the daily press conference yesterday.
Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease caused by a specific virus among animals that can be transmitted to humans, she said, adding that “it is also transmissible by consuming the meat of monkeypox-infected animals”.
Singapore recorded one monkeypox case two years ago, although the disease was understood to typically occur in parts of Africa, she said.
The recent detection of over 100 cases, predominantly in Europe and North America, has baffled experts, given that these individuals had no travel history to Africa.
“Medical history suggests that monkeypox is self-healing, in that an individual can recovery on his own,” Dr Hajah Anie Haryani said, before likening it to chickenpox.
