Philippines detects first mpox case this year, yet to determine strain
The Philippines has detected a new case of the mpox virus in the country, the first since December last year, its health department said on Monday, adding it was awaiting test results before being able to determine the strain.
The patient was a 33-year-old Filipino male who had no travel history outside the Philippines, the Department of Health (DOH) said.
"We are awaiting sequencing results and will update once available," its spokesperson Albert Domingo said when asked about the strain.
The World Health Organisation declared mpox a global public health emergency last week, its highest form of alert, following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo that had spread to neighbouring countries.
Earlier this year, it was reported that the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was experiencing the biggest outbreak of the disease ever recorded, with tens of thousands of people infected as of June. The government of the DRC declared it an epidemic in December 2022.
Last week, the Africa CDC reported that mpox has now been detected in at least 13 African countries. Compared with the same period last year, the agency said cases are up 160 percent and deaths have increased by 19 percent.
A new form of the virus has triggered global concern as it seems to spread easily through routine close contact.
Global spread
A case of the new variant was confirmed on Thursday in Sweden and linked to a growing outbreak in Africa, the first sign of its spread outside the continent. Pakistan on Friday confirmed at least one case of the mpox virus in a patient who had returned from a Gulf country, but said they did not yet know the strain of the virus.
The new case in the Philippines is the 10th laboratory-confirmed case the health department has detected. Its first case was in July 2022.
"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," the Philippine DOH said in a statement.
The disease, caused by the monkeypox virus, leads to flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions. It is usually mild but can kill, with children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV, all at higher risk of complications.
The patient was a 33-year-old Filipino male who had no travel history outside the Philippines, the Department of Health (DOH) said.
"We are awaiting sequencing results and will update once available," its spokesperson Albert Domingo said when asked about the strain.
The World Health Organisation declared mpox a global public health emergency last week, its highest form of alert, following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo that had spread to neighbouring countries.
Earlier this year, it was reported that the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was experiencing the biggest outbreak of the disease ever recorded, with tens of thousands of people infected as of June. The government of the DRC declared it an epidemic in December 2022.
Last week, the Africa CDC reported that mpox has now been detected in at least 13 African countries. Compared with the same period last year, the agency said cases are up 160 percent and deaths have increased by 19 percent.
A new form of the virus has triggered global concern as it seems to spread easily through routine close contact.
Global spread
A case of the new variant was confirmed on Thursday in Sweden and linked to a growing outbreak in Africa, the first sign of its spread outside the continent. Pakistan on Friday confirmed at least one case of the mpox virus in a patient who had returned from a Gulf country, but said they did not yet know the strain of the virus.
The new case in the Philippines is the 10th laboratory-confirmed case the health department has detected. Its first case was in July 2022.
"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," the Philippine DOH said in a statement.
The disease, caused by the monkeypox virus, leads to flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions. It is usually mild but can kill, with children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV, all at higher risk of complications.
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article