Philippines records first MPOX case since December 2023

According to health authorities, a new case of MPOX has been reported in the Philippines, the first since December last year.

The patient is a 33-year-old man who has not recently traveled abroad. Symptoms began over a week ago with fever, followed by a characteristic rash on the face, back, neck, trunk, groin, palms and soles of the feet, the Department of Health (DOH) reported, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The last reported Mpox case was in December 2023. The DOH said all previous cases were successfully isolated, treated and recovered. Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa assured that the DOH will streamline the testing process to efficiently identify and treat suspected cases.

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, has been declared a “public health emergency of international concern” by the WHO. Since the beginning of 2024, over a dozen African countries have reported cases, with the Democratic Republic of Congo accounting for more than 90% of them. The current Mpox variant is considered more contagious and severe than the “Clade 2” variant responsible for the global outbreak starting in 2022.

Symptoms of Mpox typically appear within two to 19 days of infection and include rashes and flu-like symptoms. The virus can spread through close contact and contaminated materials such as sheets, clothing, and needles.

News.Az