Philippines records first case of smallpox this year; strain yet to be identified

Manila, Philippines
Reuters

A new case of the Mpox virus has been detected in the Philippines, the first since December last year, the Department of Health said on Monday, adding that it was awaiting test results before determining the strain.

The patient is a 33-year-old Filipino who had never left the Philippines, the Ministry of Health said.

An undated, colorized transmission electron micrograph of Mpox virus particles (pink) found inside an infected cell (yellow) cultured in the laboratory, taken at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland. IMAGE: NIAID/Handout via Reuters/File photo

“We are waiting for the sequencing results and will update as soon as they are available,” spokesman Albert Domingo said when asked about the strain.

The World Health Organization on Wednesday declared Mpox a global health emergency, raising its alert level to the highest level, after an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo spread to neighboring countries.

A new form of the virus has caused concern around the world because it appears to spread easily through everyday close contact.

A case of the new variant was confirmed in Sweden on Thursday and linked to a growing outbreak in Africa, the first sign of spread outside the continent. Pakistan confirmed at least one case of the Mpox virus on Friday in a patient who had returned from a Gulf state, but said the strain of the virus was not yet known.

The new case in the Philippines is the 10th laboratory-confirmed case identified by the health department, with the first case occurring in July 2022.

“Symptoms began more than a week ago with fever, followed four days later by a prominent rash on the face, back, neck, trunk, groin, palms and soles of the feet,” the Philippine Department of Health said in a statement.

The disease is caused by the monkeypox virus and results in flu-like symptoms and purulent lesions. It is usually mild but can be fatal. Children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems, such as those infected with HIV, are at higher risk of complications.