MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines has discovered its first case of monkeypox in a person with a history of international travel, officials said Friday.
The declaration comes only a week after the World Health Organization declared a global health emergency over the monkeypox outbreak.
Officials in the Philippines did not identify the person’s gender, simply stating that they were 31 years old and tested positive after an RT-PCR test on Thursday.
“The case has previously traveled to places with proven monkeypox cases,” said Beverly Ho, acting undersecretary of health.
“Ten close contacts were documented, three of whom are from the same household.” The department has recommended everyone to quarantine and is keeping an eye on them.”
Since May, there has been an increase in monkeypox cases outside of the West and Central African countries where the illness has traditionally been endemic.
According to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more than 18,000 cases have been reported to the organization from 78 countries, with 70% of them in Europe and 25% in the Americas.
Since May, he claimed, five people have died as a result of the outbreak.
The Philippines attempted to calm fears by stating that monkeypox was not the same as Covid-19.
“This is not like Covid, which may be easily transported by air and can be lethal,” said Trixie Cruz-Angeles, communications secretary for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“This isn’t especially dangerous.”
Ho stated that the Philippines was collaborating with the United States to obtain monkeypox vaccines.
Source: AFP