The Philippines has reported a new case of mpox, marking the first detection of the virus in the country since December of last year, according to the Department of Health (DOH). The patient is a 33-year-old Filipino male with no recent travel history outside the Philippines. The DOH is currently awaiting the results of genomic sequencing to identify the specific strain of the virus, as confirmed by spokesperson Albert Domingo.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared mpox a global public health emergency after an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo spread to neighboring countries. The emergence of a new variant, which appears to spread easily through close contact, has raised international concerns. This new variant was first detected outside Africa in Sweden on Thursday, linked to the growing outbreak on the continent. Pakistan also reported at least one case of mpox in a patient who had returned from a Gulf country, though the strain has yet to be identified.

The latest case in the Philippines brings the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 10 since the first detection in July 2022. The DOH reported that the patient began showing symptoms over a week ago, starting with a fever. Four days later, a distinct rash appeared on the patient's face, back, neck, trunk, groin, as well as on the palms and soles. Mpox, caused by the monkeypox virus, typically results in flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions. While it is generally mild, it can be fatal, especially for children, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems, such as those living with HIV.