Tedday2223
Member
The Department of Health on Monday reported two new cases of mpox, bringing the total cases to 12. The DoH said that the 11th case is a 37-year-old male from Metro Manila who exhibited symptoms on August 20 — rashes on his face, arms, legs, thorax, palms, and soles. The man had no known exposure to any person with similar symptoms, "but admitted to close, intimate, and skin-to-skin contact within 21 days before the start of his symptoms." The patient was admitted to a government hospital where a skin sample was taken from him and subsequently tested at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine. Meanwhile, the 12th case is a 32-year-old male, also from the National Capital Region, with symptoms that started manifesting last August 14. He likewise admitted to close, intimate and skin-to-skin contact with one sexual partner. Local government units where the two cases came from have been informed and they have the power and authority to disclose more detailed information including response actions. "We continue to see local transmission of mpox clade II here in the Philippines, in Metro Manila in particular. Mpox moves from skin-to-skin, both during sexual encounters and also other intimate forms of skin contact. It is not airborne," Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said. "Avoid close, intimate, skin-to-skin contact so as not to get mpox. Wash hands with soap and water. Cover your skin. Our health system will continue to detect and protect," he added. Common symptoms of mpox are skin rashes or mucosal lesions, which can last 2–4 weeks. The rashes are accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes.
