THE Department of Health (DOH) has recorded two more mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) cases, both in the National Capital Region (NCR).
The two newly-detected mpox cases were a 37- and 32-year-old male persons.
The 37-year-old patient noticed symptoms starting August 20, specifically distinct rash on the face, arms, legs, thorax, palms, and soles.
He had no known exposure to any person with similar symptoms, but admitted having close, intimate, and skin-to-skin contact within 21 days before the start of his symptoms.
The symptoms of the 32-year-old patient, which include skin lesions or clear, fluid-filled vesicles at his groin area and fever, started on August 14.
He admitted to having intimate and skin-to-skin contact with one sexual partner.
As of Monday, August 26, the country has so far detected a total of 12 mpox cases since last year.
The DOH earlier said the public has nothing to worry about mpox.
Health Secretary Ted Herbosa earlier said that the Philippines will soon get 2,000 doses of mpox vaccines.
In a radio interview, DOH Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo said the dermatologists will be the first to get mpox vaccines.
“Nakikita namin this early na ang uunahin is ‘yung mga frontliners at ‘pag sinabing frontliners, ang pinag-uusapan natin ay ‘yung mga dermatologists,” he said.
(We see this early that the priority are the frontliners and when we say frontliners, we are talking about the dermatologists.)
“When that time comes at meron na tayong makukuhang mpox vaccine, ang unang bibigyan natin is ‘yung mga humaharap sa pasyente na may mpox kasi hindi sila puwedeng mahawa dahil sila ‘yung unang panangga natin,” he added.
(When that time comes and we have the mpox vaccine available, the first people we will give it to are those who deal with patients with mpox because they cannot be infected because they are our first line of defense.) (TPM/SunStar Philippines)