PH lists 14 mpox active cases, all recovering

Metro Manila, Philippines — The number of active mpox cases in the country stood at 14, the Department of Health (DOH) reported on Monday, Sept. 9, as the agency scales up testing for the virus.

The DOH detected six more cases this month, all males.

Nonetheless, Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases will not be activated as the nature of mpox is “really very mild” and is “easy to break transmission.”

“Mineet ko na ‘yong IATF. Sabi ko hindi pa natin kailangan i-convene yung IATF dahil DOH lang naman, on its learning from COVID-19, can handle this particular disease. So kaya pa po,” Herbosa told a news conference.

[Translation: I met the IATF and told them we still don’t need to convene the IATF because the DOH, on its learning from COVID-19, can handle this particular disease. We can still manage it.]

The agency reported on Sept. 1 eight active infections, including a 12-year-old boy from Calabarzon and a 26-year-old female health worker from Metro Manila.

Since 2022, the country has recorded 23 cases of mpox, a disease that causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions. Nine have recovered as of December 2023. Most of the patients are young adult males.

All of the cases were caused by the milder type clade II.

The cases were seen in Metro Manila, Calabarzon, and Cagayan Valley. The latter was a recent addition, Herbosa said.

He also said an mpox national task force was formed on Aug. 27 to lead the response against the illness.

Herbosa said, however, strict measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic like border controls, lockdown, and mask mandate will not be implemented.

Mpox is usually transmitted through close, intimate skin-to-skin contact, including sexual contact. It’s not airborne.

Proper and frequent handwashing is recommended, the DOH chief said.

Increase testing

Herbosa said the DOH is collaborating with the World Health Organization (WHO) to increase testing capabilities. He also said the agency is working with other international partners “who have generously promised donations of test kits.”

Around 1,600 test kits are available for PCR (polymerase chain reaction) testing of skin lesions to confirm mpox, the secretary said. Testing remains free at government hospitals, he added.

“I think nag-umpisa kami sa 1,800, so nakagawa na kami ng over 200 tests,” Herbosa said. “Marami kaming test na ginawa bago ma-pick up yung 14 [active cases].”

[Translation: We started with 1,800, so we already conducted over 200 tests. Many tests were done to pick up the 14 active cases.]

Clade Ib is still not detected in the country. This particular offshoot of the monkeypox virus drives the current outbreak in Africa, which prompted the WHO to declare a global health emergency for the disease this year.

Talking with key populations

Herbosa said the DOH will prioritize funds for the mpox response, initially pegged at ₱158 million for the next three months. It will come from its public health funds, he added.

The amount will be for the test kits, campaign materials, seminars for laboratories, and engagement with key populations and influencers, among others.

“I have a meeting with key influencers regarding habits that need to change,” Herbosa said. “We are also constantly reminding the public about the standard precautionary measures to prevent mpox transmission through information, education, and campaign materials.”

Herbosa and other DOH officials previously visited high-risk commercial establishments — such as hospitality and personal care services, spas, and barbershops — to form suggested guidelines amid the reported mpox cases.

“I’m happy to say that some of the spas have implemented their own signages,” he said.

“These are very sound scientific recommendations that are in the best interest of everyone,” Health spokesperson Albert Domingo said of the interim guidelines. “And the difference now is, ‘yung mismong establishments ‘yung humingi sa DOH, hindi siya pinilit [the establishments asked the DOH and it was not forced].”

“Sila ‘yung nagsabi [They said], tell us how we can do our operations and we’ll take it from there,” he added.