MANILA – Two cases of monkeypox (mpox) Clade II, including one casualty, were recently recorded in Davao City.
According to the Department of Health (DOH), the Davao City Health Office confirmed that two patients were admitted to the isolation facility of a hospital due to mpox Clade II, with one of them dying “likely of non-mpox complications.”
“The City Health Office is actively monitoring all identified close contacts, and established response measures and protocols for mpox are currently being implemented,” the DOH said
“The cases reported in Davao are of the same Clade II variant of MPX virus. The level of risk remains the same as in previous months; there is no increased danger,” it added.
“Established mpox response measures are working. Surveillance systems detected the cases which led to their careful isolation from the public. All identified close contacts are being monitored,” it further said.
Meanwhile, following the detection of mpox cases in the city, the local health office advised the public to take precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the virus such as avoiding close and intimate contact – such as sex, kissing, hugging, and cuddling with suspected patients.
The public is also encouraged to observe frequent handwashing or use alcohol-based hand rub when hands are soiled or contaminated. Objects and surfaces used by infected persons must also be disinfected.
The public is also advised to avoid contact with animals, particularly mammals that may carry the virus. Signs and symptoms of mpox in animals, including pets, can include rash, fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, they added.
Among the symptoms to watch out for include a skin rash or mucosal lesions, which can last two to four weeks. The rashes are accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes./PN
