PH has 4th monkeypox case, 1st with no travel history

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THE Department of Health (DOH) yesterday reported the country’s fourth confirmed case of monkeypox and the first one with no travel history to countries with documented cases of the viral disease.

The DOH said the fourth case is a 25-year-old Filipino who is being taken care of in an isolation facility.”

“The case was tested and confirmed positive for monkeypox via real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) with results released August 19, 2022,” said the DOH.

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The health department said “intensive case investigation and contact tracing” is ongoing, with 14 close contacts so far identified.

One close contact is taking care of the patient in the isolation facility, while six are undergoing quarantine. Another one is a healthcare worker who had complete personal protection equipment at time of consultation of the case and is now self-monitoring, the DOH said.

Details about the six other close contacts are still being verified, the DOH said.

The DOH stressed that all four confirmed monkeypox cases in the Philippines are unrelated.

The first case has recovered and discharged from isolation, as of August 6.

The second and third cases are still undergoing home isolation and in stable condition.

“No new contacts of these cases have been identified,” the DOH said.

With another monkeypox case detected, the DOH urged the public to avoid close, sustained physical contact with suspected cases, especially those with rashes or skin lesions. It also asked the public to keep their hands clean, wear face masks, cover their mouths when coughing using the elbow, and choose areas with good airflow.

The DOH advised those who show symptoms to immediately seek medical attention, particularly those who have traveled to countries with monkeypox, or have come into close and sustained physical with monkeypox patients. Among the symptoms are fever, lymphadenopathy or swollen lymph nodes, or rashes.

The DOH wishes to emphasize that anyone may get monkeypox. Monkeypox symptoms are mild, and the disease is rarely fatal,” the DOH said.

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