Philippines reports first mpox case this year
The Philippines has reported its first mpox case of the year, a 33-year-old Filipino male with no recent travel history outside the country, according to the Department of Health (DOH). This is the first confirmed case since December of the previous year. The DOH is currently awaiting test results to determine the strain of the virus.
Mpox, caused by the monkeypox virus, typically presents with flu-like symptoms followed by a distinctive rash. In this latest case, the patient developed a fever over a week ago, with the rash appearing four days later on various parts of the body, including the face, back, trunk, groin, and extremities.
Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared mpox a global public health emergency following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo that spread to neighboring countries. A new variant of the virus, which appears to spread easily through routine close contact, has raised international concern. This new variant has already been detected outside Africa, with confirmed cases in Sweden and Pakistan.
The latest case in the Philippines marks the 10th laboratory-confirmed mpox case in the country since the first case was identified in July 2022. Mpox is generally mild but can be severe or fatal, particularly for children, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems, including those with HIV.
