BY CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
The Department of Health (DOH) issued an advisory concerning Monkeypox but stressed that it has not yet detected any case in the Philippines.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Monkeypox is a viral disease coming from animals, that occurs primarily in tropical rainforest areas of Central and West Africa and is occasionally exported to other regions.
However, cases of Monkeypox have only recently been found in European countries like the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Symptoms include fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes, which may lead to a range of medical complications.
The Monkeypox virus is transmitted to humans through close contact (wounds, body fluids, respiratory droplets) with an infected person or animal, or with contaminated materials. While Monkeypox may look like Smallpox, it is less contagious and causes less severe illness.
The DOH is intensifying screening at the country’s borders and ensuring that surveillance systems are actively monitoring the situation.
Minimum public health standards will prevent Monkeypox transmission.*
