Philippines Reports 2 New Cases of 'Mpox'

On Monday (August 26), the Department of Health of the Philippines reported two new cases of Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox), which were caused by the Mpox virus Clade II. This brings the total number of Mpox cases in the country to three.

Albert Domingo, Assistant Secretary and spokesperson for the Department of Health, stated that the new cases involve two men, aged 37 and 32, from Metro Manila. The 37-year-old patient is currently receiving treatment in a hospital, while the 32-year-old is awaiting confirmation of skin sample results at home.

Domingo mentioned that the Department of Health has not yet been able to establish an epidemiological link between the two new cases and the first case of 2024, which was detected on Monday (August 19). The first case involved a 33-year-old male who tested positive for the virus.

The detection of these new cases raises the total number of Mpox cases in the Philippines to 12 since July 2022. Nine of these patients have fully recovered by 2023, while three remain under treatment.

Teodoro Herbosa, the Secretary of the Department of Health, noted that the Mpox Clade II virus continues to spread within the country, particularly in Metro Manila. Mpox primarily spreads through close contact with an infected person. The main symptoms include a rash, high fever, headache, back pain, fatigue, and swollen lymph nodes.

Notably, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Mpox outbreak a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern" on August 14, 2024.

Source: Xinhua Thai