The Philippines has reported its first case of Mpox for the year 2024. The Department of Health confirmed on Monday that a 33-year-old Filipino man has contracted the virus.
This is the first reported case since December last year.
According to the DOH, the man had not traveled outside the country. The case was reported by a government hospital on Sunday. The health department is currently assessing whether this case involves the new and more dangerous variant, Clade 1b, which has sparked global concern.
The DOH provided details about the man’s symptoms, stating, “Symptoms started more than a week ago with fever, which was followed four days later by findings of a distinct rash on the face, back, nape, trunk, groin, as well as palms and soles.” Test results confirmed that the man’s skin lesions were positive for Monkeypox viral DNA.
This case marks the tenth laboratory-confirmed Mpox infection in the Philippines, with the previous case recorded in December 2023. The DOH is updating its Mpox guidelines and urging those with symptoms to seek consultation and testing.
Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa assured the public, stating, “Our health system is working. We can handle the situation and will keep the public well-informed.”
The recent detection of the Clade 1b strain in other countries, including Sweden and Pakistan, has raised concerns globally. The World Health Organization recently declared the Mpox surge a public health emergency of international concern, its highest alert level.
