New Mpox Case Detected in the Philippines; Health Authorities Await Key Test Results

The Philippines has reported its first mpox virus case since December. The patient, a 33-year-old Filipino male with no travel history, is awaiting test results to determine the strain. The World Health Organization declared mpox a global health emergency after outbreaks in multiple countries. Symptoms include fever and a distinctive rash.

The Philippines has detected a new case of the mpox virus, marking the first instance since December, according to the Department of Health (DOH) on Monday. The department is currently awaiting test results to determine the strain.

The patient, a 33-year-old Filipino male, has no recent travel history outside the Philippines, stated DOH spokesperson Albert Domingo. 'We are awaiting sequencing results and will update once available,' he mentioned.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a global public health emergency last Wednesday due to an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has since spread to neighboring countries. The virus, which appears to spread easily through close contact, has sparked global concern.

On Thursday, Sweden confirmed a case linked to the growing outbreak in Africa, marking its spread outside the continent. Pakistan also reported a case on Friday, but the virus strain remains unidentified. The new case in the Philippines is the 10th laboratory-confirmed case since the first was detected in July 2022.

'Symptoms began more than a week ago with fever, followed by a distinct rash,' the DOH revealed. The disease, caused by the monkeypox virus, is generally mild but poses higher risks for children, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems, such as HIV patients.

(With inputs from agencies.)