Philippines detects fourth monkeypox case; contact tracing ongoing
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has detected its fourth case of monkeypox and says the 25-year-old Filipino who has not been in any country with confirmed cases has since been admitted in an isolation facility.
This is the third monkeypox infection reported in less than a week. Just last Friday, the Department of Health said it detected to more individuals with the monkeypox infection.
DOH: All four confirmed monkeypox cases in the Philippines are unrelated to each other. @PhilstarNews
— Gaea Cabico (@gaeacabico) August 22, 2022
In a statement on Monday, the DOH said that intensive case investigation and contact tracing is ongoing for the 25-year-old. Fourteen close contacts have been identified, six of them are now undergoing quarantine and one is in the isolation facility taking care of the individual with the confirmed infection.
The statuses of the other six close contacts are being verified.
Meanwhile, a healthcare worker who was wearing personal protection equipment at the time of the case’s consultation is now undergoing self-monitoring.
Skin-to-skin contact
The DOH reminds the public that monkeypox spreads through skin-to-skin contact, which is different from airborne virus COVID-19.
“Ang Monkeypox ay kumakalat kapag nadikit sa balat ng may sakit na ito na siyang nakikitaang may mga butlig, o kaya sa kagamitan na nahawakan ng may sakit. Kung nakararanas ng lagnat, pamamaga ng kulani, at mga butlig sa balat, agad na kumonsulta sa pagamutan,” DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire said.
(Monkeypox spreads through skin-to-skin contact with cases who have rashes or skin lesions, or with objects that have come into contact with the case. If you have fever, swollen lymph nodes, and rashes or skin lesions, immediately consult your healthcare provider.)
The department also said the four cases of monkeypox detected in the Philippines are unrelated to each other.
The first case has since recovered and is now discharged from isolation earlier this month, while cases two and three are isolating at home but both are in stable condition. — Kaycee Valmonte with reports from Gaea Katreena Cabico
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