Worried about Monkeypox reaching the Philippines? We’ve addressed some of the most pressing concerns below.

The Department of Health has issued a public health advisory on Monkeypox after the released reports of an outbreak in the European countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada, on Friday, May 20.

They mentioned “intensifying” the country’s border screening and said that they ensure the surveillance system is active in monitoring the current situation.

The government agency also reported alongside their advisory that there are currently no detected monkeypox cases in the Philippines nor on its borders.

What is Monkeypox?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Monkeypox is a rare and viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus, which belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus in the family of Poxviridae viruses.

The spreading disease also occurs in tropical rainforest areas of Central and West Africa and is periodically transported to other regions.

What are the symptoms of Monkeypox?

The virus causes symptoms such as fever alongside a distinctive bumpy rash. Aside from fever and rashes symptoms, a person might also encounter headaches alongside swollen lymph nodes, which leads to numerous medical complications.

According to reports, it has two strains that are currently existing: the Congo strain, which medical experts consider more severe with up to 10% mortality rate; and the West African strain, which is less alarming and has a fatality rate of less than 1%.

How is Monkeypox trasmitted?

The DOH has asked the public to continue observing minimum health standards to prevent the spread of the monkeypox virus. 

The viral disease is transmitted from person to person through close contact with an infected individual, animal or direct exposure to contaminated items.

Is it severe?

They also shared that the disease, which looks similar to smallpox, is less infectious and causes less extreme ailments.

There are more than 80 reported cases in 11 countries, with the United Kingdom having the most after detecting the first case on its passenger from Nigeria. – WhatALife!

Source: (rappler.com), (cnnphilippines.com), (inquirer.net), (manilatimes.net)

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