Singapore makes three potentially deadly viruses notifiable from Oct 31

Effective October 31, Singapore will enforce mandatory reporting of suspected and confirmed cases of three potentially lethal viral infections – Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF), Lassa fever and Marburg virus disease (MVD). These additions to the list of notifiable diseases, mandated by the Infectious Diseases Act, aim to bolster early detection and public health readiness despite the current low risk to the nation.

CCHF, Lassa fever and MVD can lead to severe illness and have the potential for human-to-human transmission. The Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) highlighted that while the risk level remains low, the diseases will be included to enhance overall surveillance and preparedness efforts. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports fatality rates of up to 40% for CCHF, around 50% for MVD and approximately 1% for Lassa fever, which can increase significantly among patients with severe illness.

Notably, the three diseases currently have no approved vaccines or specific treatments, although vaccine development is underway for Lassa fever and MVD.

Transmission routes vary, with CCHF spread through tick bites, contact with infected livestock or exposure to infected individuals' blood and bodily fluids. Lassa fever primarily spreads through contaminated food or household items from infected rodents, and human-to-human transmission is also possible. MVD can be transmitted from Egyptian fruit bats to humans and between people via direct contact with infected bodily fluids.

Symptoms include fever, severe headache and muscle pain, with some patients experiencing bleeding and neurological complications.

The CDA continuously monitors local and global developments in infectious diseases, periodically reviewing the list of notifiable diseases to maintain Singapore's readiness for emerging threats. Existing border health measures include the Electronic Health Declaration card for incoming travellers to declare their health status and travel history.

With these additions, Singapore's list of dangerous infectious diseases under the Act will rise to eight, alongside existing notifiable diseases like Ebola, MERS-CoV, plague, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and yellow fever. The CDA's weekly bulletin will commence including the three new diseases from November, replacing Covid-19, which was removed from the category in 2024.