The Philippines has reported a new case of the mpox virus, marking the first occurrence in the country since December of last year. On Monday, health authorities announced that the patient is a 33-year-old Filipino from the capital, Manila, who has not traveled abroad. The latest case was identified due to increased surveillance efforts by officials following outbreaks in Africa, as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO).
“Mpox virus is among us. This is a warning to everyone,” said Health Secretary Teddy Herbosa to journalists, adding that nine cases of the virus had also been recorded in 2023. The reported case was communicated to health authorities on Sunday. “He has not traveled [abroad]. This means that the virus is already here in the Philippines,” Herbosa added, noting that there will be no border control measures similar to those implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Authorities are still awaiting the sequencing of test results to determine the specific strain of the virus identified in the country. The new strain of the virus has raised global concerns due to its apparent ability to spread easily through close contact. On Wednesday, the WHO declared mpox a global public health emergency, the highest level of alert, following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that spread to neighboring countries. On Thursday, Sweden reported its first case of mpox clade I, a viral infection that spreads through close contact and represents a more dangerous variant of the known mpox. This is the first case of the variant reported outside of Africa, with more cases expected in the region in the coming days.
On Friday, Pakistan confirmed at least one case of the mpox virus in a patient who had returned from a Middle Eastern country. However, officials stated they did not yet know which strain of the virus was involved. Philippine health authorities have received five suspected cases of mpox in the past week, but only the 33-year-old man has tested positive for the viral infection.
The man experienced a fever a week ago, after which a “characteristic rash” was discovered. “The fluid in the blisters is different from the fluid in chickenpox, as it eventually turns to pus,” said a spokesperson from the Department of Health. The Department of Health is now updating its mpox guidelines to encourage those who exhibit symptoms to seek consultation and testing. “Our health system is functioning. We can manage the situation and will keep the public well-informed,” said Herbosa in a statement.