MANILA (Reuters) – 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. #PhilippinesMpoxCase
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.
On Wednesday, the World Health Organization declared mpox a global public health emergency. This highest alert followed an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The outbreak quickly spread to neighboring countries, raising serious concerns.
A new form of the virus has triggered global concern as it seems to spread easily though routine close contact.
On Thursday, Sweden confirmed a new variant case linked to a growing outbreak in Africa. This marks the first sign of its spread outside the continent. Pakistan also confirmed at least one mpox case on Friday in a patient returning from a Gulf country, but the strain remains unknown.
The new case in the Philippines is the 10th laboratory-confirmed case the health department has detected. Its first case was in July 2022. #PhilippinesMpoxCase
In addition, public awareness campaigns are being launched to educate citizens on mpox symptoms and prevention. This Philippines mpox case underscores the need for vigilance as the country prepares for possible future outbreaks. Meanwhile, healthcare facilities are on high alert and ready to respond effectively.
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