Philippines detects 3 more mpox cases

MANILA, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) — The Philippines’ Department of Health has detected three more mpox cases, which have brought the number of confirmed cases around the country to 18 so far this year, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said Monday.
Herbosa said five of the 18 patients have recovered, and no patient has died from the infectious viral disease.
Herbosa said the three newly detected mpox cases were all male and were from Metro Manila and the adjoining region.
“The good thing is that all 18 patients have not infected anyone. They have no epidemiological link, meaning that the patients did not transmit the virus during their isolation,” Herbosa said at a press conference.
On Aug. 14, the World Health Organization declared mpox outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern following the surge of cases in several parts of Africa. ■