The 38-year-old man tested positive for the rare viral disease, which is primarily transmitted to humans from animals, on Wednesday (May 8), said MOH on Thursday. It is the first case of monkeypox reported here.

He is currently in an isolation ward at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), and is in stable condition.

Meanwhile, 22 out of 23 individuals who have been identified as close contacts of the patient are also under quarantine as a precautionary measure.

One of the close contacts, a workshop participant, had left Singapore on May 5 before the patient was diagnosed. He has reported to MOH that he remains well with no symptoms.

"Nonetheless, as a precaution, MOH has informed the public health authority in his home country," said the ministry.

Before coming to Singapore, the man attended a wedding in Nigeria, where he may have consumed bush meat - a possible source of transmission of the monkeypox virus.

Bush meat, the meat of wild animals hunted and sold for food, is a popular source of protein in some parts of Africa where meat from domesticated animals are scarce or expensive.

Upon his arrival on April 28, he stayed at Hotel 81 Orchid in Geylang. In the following two days, he attended a workshop at the Samsung Hub in Church Street, in the Central Business District.

On April 30, he developed fever, muscle ache, chills and skin rash. Between May 1 and 7, the man reported that he stayed in his hotel room most of the time.

On May 7, he was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital by ambulance and referred to NCID.

Subsequently, MOH identified the people who had come into close contact with the man, including 18 participants and trainers who attended the same workshop; one worker at the workshop venue; and four hotel staff.

They have since been assessed by NCID and offered vaccination to prevent the disease or reduce the severity of symptoms, said the ministry.

"As a precautionary measure, they will be quarantined and monitored for 21 days from their date of exposure to the patient," said MOH.

Those who develop symptoms will be treated at NCID, and all others who came into contact with the man and have a low risk of being infected are being put under active surveillance, and will be contacted twice daily to monitor their health status, the ministry added.

MOH's investigation and contact tracing operations are ongoing.

Common symptoms of the disease are fever, headache, muscle ache, backache, swollen lymph no...