Philippines Confirms Two New Mpox Cases, Increasing Active Infections to Three

Two new mpox cases have been confirmed in the Philippines, bringing the total number of active infections to three. Local transmission in Metro Manila is still ongoing.

The Philippines has confirmed two additional cases of the mpox virus, specifically the milder clade 2 variant, bringing the total number of active cases to three, according to the Philippines’ health ministry. A 37-year-old male and a 32-year-old male living in Metro Manila are the two most recent cases to be reported. Ongoing local transmission of the virus in the region was observed by Health Minister Teodoro Herbosa.

Following an earlier confirmed case involving a 33-year-old male with no travel history outside of the Philippines, the most recent infections have occurred. There have been 12 laboratory-confirmed cases of mpox reported in the country since July 2022.

This development occurs in the wake of the World Health Organization’s recent declaration of mpox as a global public health emergency, as a result of an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has since affected neighboring countries. Flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions are the result of the monkeypox virus, which causes mpox. It is generally mild; however, it poses significant risks to children, expectant women, and individuals with compromised immune systems.