According to health authorities, the first case is a 31-year-old Filipino national who arrived from abroad.
The Department of Health has confirmed the first known case of monkeypox in the Philippines.
READ ALSO: Check-Up: The WHO Declared Monkeypox A Public Health Emergency. What Does This Mean?
The health department added that the case traveled from a country where monkeypox is not endemic. They had arrived from abroad earlier in July.
Health Undersecretary Beverly Ho said the patient is now in isolation.
Although the disease is commonly located in Central and West Africa, healthcare workers occasionally identify people with monkeypox in outside regions. This usually follows travel from areas where it is endemic.
The World Health Organization declared monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern on July 23.
What should people know about monkeypox?
It is a viral zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus. This simply means it can spread from animals to humans, as well as between people.
Symptoms typically include a fever, intense headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, swollen lymph nodes, and a skin rash or lesions. These usually last between two to four weeks, before going away on their own without treatment.
Although symptoms usually disappear on their own, they can lead to medical complications and even death in some individuals.
To avoid the disease, limit contact with people who have suspected or confirmed monkeypox. Regularly clean your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub.
Immediately seek advice from your healthcare provider if you think you have monkeypox. Additionally, inform them if you have had close contact with someone who has suspected or confirmed monkeypox. Then self-isolate and avoid close contact with anyone if possible.
For more information, please refer to the Department of Health website.
Banner Photo by R. Press/NIST via website.
