MONKEYPOX. Monkeypox (mpox) is an infectious disease caused by a virus and is characterized by painful rashes, enlarged lymph nodes, muscle aches, and fever. The Department of Health on Thursday (Aug. 15, 2023) said no new cases of mpox were recorded in the country amid the declaration of public health emergency of international concern for it by the World Health Organization. (PNA file photo courtesy of Harun Tulunay/UN)
MANILA – The country has not logged new cases of monkeypox (mpox) so far, the Department of Health (DOH) said Thursday.
“Ang mpox na naitala natin so far ay siyam, at hindi naman po nadagdagan (The mpox [cases] we have logged so far is nine, there were no additional cases). The last case we detected was last December 2023," DOH Spokesperson Albert Domingo said in a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon interview.
He said the nine cases have all recovered from mpox.
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday declared mpox “a public health emergency of international concern” for the second time.
Mpox cases increased in the Democratic Republic of Congo which have spread to nearby countries in Africa.
On Tuesday, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has declared a public health emergency as mpox cases increased by 160 percent in the continent since 2023.
In 2022, WHO declared a public health emergency due to an outbreak caused by Clade IIb which is a milder strand of mpox.
Domingo said the Bureau of Quarantine is on alert status but no additional procedures on its surveillance were made.
"Mas maganda iyong interview pagdating sa ating mga biyahero mula sa Africa at pati na rin iyong mga papuntang Africa kailangang inaabisuhan natin (It is best to interview travelers from Africa and give advisory to those going to Africa as well)," he added.
Mpox starts with fever and muscle aches. Its other symptoms are lesions or rashes on the chest, genitals, hands, and feet. The rashes may take two to four weeks to disappear.
Cure for mpox includes treatment of the symptoms and vaccination for prevention. (PNA)
