Mpox Patients In The Philippines Rise To 18 Cases

Illustration of Monkeypox (WHO/Katson Mairo)

THE number of monkeypox (monkeypox) cases in the Philippines rose to 18, the country's health minister said on Monday (16/9). Health Minister Teodoro Herbisa said five of the 18 infected patients had recovered and were discharged from isolation. A total of 11 other cases are currently undergoing self-isolation at home.

"The good part is, that of the 18 cases we found, no one has passed the virus on to anyone else," Herbiosa said.

He also added that the island nation experienced an increase in dengue fever cases by 68 percent this year.

There are about 208,000 cases of dengue fever recorded in the country. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared thempox a public health emergency of international concern on August 14, after a new variant that appears to be more easily transmitted between human beings that have been identified. However, WHO emphasizes that the campix is not a new COVID.

According to WHO, African territory is currently experiencing an increase in cases. A total of 14 countries were affected. Almost all cases reported in Africa occur in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In that country, most of the more than 500 deaths were caused by thempex.

Mpox infection causes flu-like and lesion-filled symptoms, as well as spreads through close physical contact. This disease can also spread through objects infected with the virus, such as beds, clothes, and towels.

This disease is usually mild, but it can also be fatal. The vaccine, which is considered an important step in preventing the spread, recently arrived in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.