The Philippines has confirmed a new case of the mpox virus, marking the first detection since December last year, according to the Department of Health (DOH). The patient, a 33-year-old Filipino male with no travel history outside the country, began showing symptoms over a week ago, including fever followed by a distinct rash on various parts of the body.
The DOH is currently awaiting test results to identify the specific strain of the virus. Albert Domingo, the department’s spokesperson, stated that updates will be provided once sequencing results are available.
This development comes shortly after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a global public health emergency, following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has spread to neighboring countries. A new variant of the virus has raised global concerns due to its ability to spread easily through routine close contact.
This new case in the Philippines brings the total number of laboratory-confirmed mpox cases in the country to ten, with the first detected in July 2022. The virus typically causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions, with higher risks of severe complications for children, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV.
