New Delhi, Aug 19: Amid the latest global spread of mpox, a 33-year-old man with no travel history has become the first laboratory-confirmed case of the infectious disease, the Philippines’ health ministry said on Monday.
The country’s Department of Health (DOH) was notified about the man on Sunday. His samples were collected from his skin lesions, and a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test confirmed the Mpox virus.
The man reportedly had close, intimate contact with the virus three weeks before the onset of Mpox symptoms, and his symptoms began with a fever more than a week ago.
Four days later, the man developed a rash on his face, back, neck, torso, groin, as well as the palms and soles, the Department of Health reported.
The new case brings the total number of laboratory-confirmed Mpox cases in the Philippines to 10. The last case was detected in December 2023.
All previous cases were isolated and have recovered from the infection, the Department of Health reported.
Last week, the World Health Organization declared a global health emergency for Mpox after the infection spread to 13 African countries, including Congo, where 14,000 cases and 524 deaths have been reported.
The current outbreak is caused by clade 1b, which is more virulent and deadly.
Outside Africa, Sweden has reported the first case of Mpox infection caused by clade 1b. Meanwhile, Pakistan has also reported 3 cases of people with travel history, however, the clade is not yet known.
WHO defines monkeypox as a viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus – a species of the Orthopoxvirus genus. It can be transmitted to humans through physical contact with an infected person, contaminated materials or infected animals.
Its common symptoms include skin rash or mucosal lesions, which can last for 2 to 4 weeks. This is usually followed by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes, which resolve on their own. However, in some cases, it can be fatal.
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