Monkeypox Cases Can Go On Home Recovery If Their Residence Is Deemed To Be Suitable

Monkeypox Cases Now Eligible For Home Recovery, They’ll Receive Telemedical Consultations: MOH

Monkeypox cases, which have been reported in the Singapore community, are now eligible for Home Recovery Programme (HRP).

But the Ministry of Health (MOH) has said that they’ll have to fulfil certain conditions, like having their residence deemed as suitable.

Those who’re allowed to recover at home will receive telemedical consultations.

Monkeypox cases can do home recovery from 22 Aug

In a news release on Friday (19 Aug), MOH said currently all monkeypox cases recover at a Monkeypox Isolation Facility (MIF).

That’s if they’ve been assessed to be clinically stable.

However, these cases will be allowed to go on home recovery from 22 Aug if they meet certain conditions.

Place of residence must be suitable

Besides being assessed as clinically stable by a doctor, their place of residence must also be deemed suitable.

That means they have to satisfy these conditions set out by MOH:

1. The monkeypox case has self-isolate in a room with attached bathroom, and other household members, if any, can use another bathroom.
2. Other household members cannot be:
   • pregnant
   • aged below 12 or above 79
   • undergoing dialysis, immunocompromised or on immunosuppressants
   • individuals at higher risk of being infected (for example those who need caregivers)
3. The residence cannot have pets.

The no-pet rule is so as to avoid animal-to-human transmission.

This could happen when a monkeypox sufferer infects as animal, which then spread the disease to other people via bites, scratches or direct contract.

If a monkeypox sufferers’ home isn’t suitable for home recovery, they’ll continue to recover at the MIF.

Cases will still get Isolation Order

Even when a monkeypox case is on HRP, they must remain isolated.

That’s because they’ll be served with an Isolation Order, so they’re required under the Infectious Diseases Act to be isolated till not infectious.

After the isolation period, cases will undergo a review at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).

Source: Wikipedia

If assessed to be fully recovered, they can end their isolation. If not, their isolation must continue until the next review.

Telemedical consultations for monkeypox during Home Recovery

Even when on HRP, monkeypox cases’ medical needs will be taken care of.

They’ll get regular telemedical consultations to assess their state of recovery, and can be sent to the NCID if more reviews are needed.

There’s also a dedicated MOH hotline they can call if they need help.

However, if they have symptoms like shortness of breath and chest pains, or unusual nerve-related symptoms like numbness, they’re advised to call 995 and declare that they’re a monkeypox patient.

Risk to general public remains low

Though some Singaporeans might be wary of monkeypox sufferers isolating next door, MOH assured that the risk to the general public remains low.

That’s because monkeypox is usually “mild and self-limiting”, they said, according to local and international data.

Source: Punjab Magazine on Flickr

Monkeypox is transmitted via close physical or prolonged contact, including face-to-face and skin-to-skin contact that usually happens during sexual activity.

Also, the majority of patients recover in two to four weeks, and don’t need to be hospitalised.

Suspected cases no need to isolate in hospital

As cases go on to HRP, suspected cases will also not need to isolate in the hospital while waiting for their test results.

They’ll be allowed to isolate at home if it’s suitable, or they can isolate at a facility.

This is only if they’re clinically well.

Hospitals will still handle those who need to be warded for clinical care.

15 monkeypox cases in Singapore

There are currently 15 monkeypox cases in Singapore, according to a list by MOH.

The most recent, a 54-year-old community case, was reported on 5 Aug.

He was also our first due to local transmission.

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Featured image from MS News.