MANILA, Philippines, August 29 ------ Active mpox cases in the Philippines are now at five after the Department of Health (DOH) reported two more cases of the infectious disease. Confirmed mpox cases since July 2022 are now 14. “Nine cases have long recovered and five are active cases waiting for symptoms to resolve,” the DOH said.
The two new cases are in Metro Manila and Calabarzon. Both have the milder form of the mpox virus, MPXV clade II. The patient in Metro Manila is a female, 26, whose rashes and fever started on Aug. 20. She developed a sore throat and swollen neck lymph nodes. “She continues to recover at home, under close and continuing monitoring by local health authorities,” the DOH noted.
The female patient had no travel history three weeks before the symptoms started and two of her close contacts do not exhibit symptoms. In Calabarzon, a 12-year-old male patient’s symptoms began on Aug. 10. He had a fever and later developed rashes, cough and swollen lymph nodes in the groin. The male patient also has no travel history. Other circumstances are still being verified.
More mpox cases are being detected due to heightened surveillance, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said. “The situation strengthens our health system – we can find, test and treat mpox. We will be ready should clade Ib get here,” Herbosa said, referring to a new strain of the mpox virus.
Source: philstar.com
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