Philippines 3rd monkeypox case recovers

MANILA, Philippines — The country’s third monkeypox case has finally recovered, according to the Department of Health.

DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire noted the patient, a 29-year-old Filipino, was certified by a physician.

“All of the individual’s 17 close contacts have already finished their quarantine. No one developed symptoms and all of them have been discharged from quarantine,” Vergeire said at a recent press briefing.

As for the fourth case, the individual was discharged from the hospital last Thursday and is continuing home isolation to be completed until the 21st day, according to the health official.

“The individual has to be certified also by a physician, though the patient did not exhibit any additional symptoms. As to the close contacts, one remains in quarantine and that is the relative who took care of the patient after being discharged from the hospital. The other 19 had already finished their quarantine and all of them were asymptomatic,” Vergeire said, although she added that she could not be certain if there is no local transmission of monkeypox.

“We know that not all with symptoms consult with doctors and have themselves tested, but what is certain right now is that we are prepared to detect, to treat and to prevent transmission of the disease,” she said.