The Department of Health (DOH) has confirmed a new case of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, in the Philippines, marking the first case reported in the country this year. This brings the total number of recorded cases nationwide to 10.
According to the DOH, the latest case involves a 33-year-old Filipino male with no recent travel history outside the Philippines. However, the individual had close, intimate contact approximately three weeks before the onset of symptoms.
The patient first experienced a fever over a week ago, followed by the appearance of a distinct rash on the face, back, nape, trunk, groin, as well as the palms and soles, four days later. The DOH did not disclose the exact location of the case but stated that the individual was treated at a government hospital, where samples from skin lesions were collected and confirmed via a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.
The DOH has reminded the public that common symptoms of mpox include skin rashes or mucosal lesions that can last from two to four weeks, as well as fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, fatigue, and swollen lymph nodes. The virus can be transmitted through close or intimate contact with an infected person, contaminated materials, or infected animals.