CDA to implement enhanced measures against measles spread from April 1 after 12 new cases reported

Enhanced public health measures for measles will be implemented from Wednesday (April 1), after 12 new cases were reported between Feb 1 and March 24. 

In a statement released on Tuesday, the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) said the reported cases involve those living in Singapore, with six having travelled abroad recently.

Of these cases, 11 were not fully vaccinated, including two infants under 12 months old who were not yet eligible for the measles, mumps and rubella vaccination.

Among the cases, eight are not genetically linked, while four are part of a known cluster, the agency said, noting that there is currently no evidence of wider community spread and that epidemiological investigations are ongoing. 

Under the new measures, CDA said it will maintain most of the stepped-up precautions introduced in February, including mandatory testing for all suspected cases.

Additional precautions will apply to individuals who work or study in high-risk settings, such as childcare centres with infants below 12 months and healthcare facilities with medically vulnerable individuals.

Individuals in these high-risk settings will not be allowed to return to work or school until they test negative for measles.

Mandatory isolation of confirmed cases will also remain in place until they are no longer infectious, while those who are not hospitalised will be placed on home isolation, with random checks conducted to ensure compliance. 

Contact tracing will continue for all confirmed cases, and all identified contacts, including casual contacts, will be advised to monitor their health and seek medical attention if they develop symptoms.

Meanwhile, close contacts who are unvaccinated or lack evidence of immunity will no longer need to quarantine and will instead be offered preventive treatment to reduce their risk of infection and prevent further transmission.

Those working or studying in high-risk settings may also be subject to additional measures, including a leave of absence from childcare centres or redeployment to non-patient-facing roles in healthcare facilities for up to 21 days from their last exposure. 

"While we may occasionally detect small clusters with limited spread given the global rise in measles cases, the risk of large outbreaks in the community remains low due to the high vaccination coverage and herd immunity among Singapore residents," said CDA. 

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xingying.koh@asiaone.com