Amid growing regional concern over the spread of mpox, the Phillippines has recorded its first case of the virus this year.
In a press release posted on Facebook on Monday (19 Aug), the Metro Manila Centre for Health Development said the case is a 33-year-old male Filipino national.
Source: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases on Unsplash
He had no travel history outside the Philippines.
The centre said the new case was the 10th laboratory-confirmed mpox case detected by the Philippine Department of Health (DOH).
Before this, the most recent case was found in December 2023.
All previous cases have since recovered after being isolated and cared for.
The new case was reported on Sunday (18 Aug), about one week after the man developed symptoms.
These started with fever, followed four days later by “a distinct rash” on his face, back, nape, trunk, groin, palms and soles.
Source: World Health Organisation. Photo for illustration purposes only.
He sought treatment at a government hospital, where specimens were collected from the skin lesions and tested via real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.
Test results came out positive for the viral DNA that causes mpox, the centre said.
Although the man had no travel history outside the Philippines, he had “close, intimate contact” three weeks before his symptoms surfaced.
While mpox can be passed to humans through close, intimate contact with an infectious person, it can also be transmitted via indirect contact with contaminated materials like used clothes or utensils, or with infected animals.
Source: Metro Manila Centre for Health Development on Facebook
Thus, “anyone can get mpox”, the centre said.
The good news is that soap and water can kill the virus, so keeping our hands clean with soap and water or alcohol-based sanitisers is advised.
The new case in the Philippines comes after other Southeast Asian countries are stepping up efforts against mpox.
In a statement posted on Facebook on Sunday (18 Aug), Malaysia’s Health Ministry advised people who have taken part in high-risk activities or show symptoms such as rashes and blisters to seek treatment immediately at a health facility and avoid contact with other people.
Healthcare personnel must report suspected and confirmed cases, with 10 laboratories in the country that can conduct PCR tests.
The Malaysian immigration authorities are also boosting surveillance at international entry points. All travellers from countries with mpox cases must monitor their health for 21 days after arriving in Malaysia.
Something similar is going on in Indonesia, with a Health Ministry spokesman quoted by The Jakarta Globe as saying that foreign visitors must fill in forms about their medical records and recent travel history at the country’s checkpoints.
Visitors who are sick are advised not to continue their travel in Indonesia, he said.
In an update on Monday (19 Aug), he added that Indonesia had recorded 88 mpox cases in total and all but one had recovered.
Also read: Mpox situation ‘very worrying’, S’pore may be ‘one of the 1st places’ to get it: Ong Ye Kung
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Featured image adapted from National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases on Unsplash and Michael Buillerey on Unsplash.
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