There are now 12 cases of mpox in the Philippines, according to the Department of Health (DoH), which announced two new cases on Monday. The 11th case involves a 37-year-old man from Metro Manila who began showing symptoms on August 20, including rashes on his face, arms, legs, and other parts of his body. He admitted to having close, intimate skin-to-skin contact with someone within the previous 21 days, but he had no known exposure to anyone with similar symptoms.
The 12th case, also from Metro Manila, involves a 32-year-old man who began showing symptoms on August 14. Similarly, he reported having close, intimate contact with a sexual partner.
Local government units have been notified and are authorized to take additional actions as necessary. Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa emphasized the role of skin-to-skin contact in the transmission of mpox, particularly during intimate encounters, and advised people to avoid such contact and practice proper hygiene. Common symptoms, which may last for two to four weeks, include rashes, fever, headaches, muscle aches, and swollen lymph nodes.
