Since early May 2022, cases of monkeypox have been reported from countries that do not normally have cases, and continue to be reported in several endemic countries.
According to the World Health Organization, this is the first time that many monkeypox cases and clusters have been reported concurrently in non-endemic and endemic countries in widely disparate geographical areas.
On 23 July 2022, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus announced that the multi-country outbreak of monkeypox represents a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
The declaration of a PHEIC and the Director-General's temporary recommendations are intended to enhance coordination, cooperation and global solidarity, with the goals of stopping human-to-human transmission and protecting vulnerable groups.
On 29 July 2022, the Department of Health (DOH) detected the first confirmed case of monkeypox in the country. The Philippines is the 8th country/area in the WHO Western Pacific Region to have reported confirmed cases of monkeypox.
“The Department of Health has been proactive towards preparedness, prevention, and response to monkeypox, and we will continue our support as the situation evolves,” said Dr Graham Harrison, Officer-in-Charge, WHO Philippines in a statement.
WHO advises Filipinos to seek medical advice when experiencing monkeypox symptoms. “We at WHO want to highlight that monkeypox can affect anyone, but everyone can help reduce its transmission,” said Dr Harrison.
What is monkeypox?
Monkeypox is an illness caused by the monkeypox virus. It is a viral zoonotic infection, meaning that it can spread from animals to humans. It can also spread from person to person through skin-to-skin contact, including direct contact with the rash, hugging, kissing, or sexual contact.
Watch this video to learn more about the monkeypox virus, the symptoms, and how it spreads.
What are the symptoms of monkeypox?
Common symptoms of monkeypox include fever, headaches, muscle pain and back ache, low energy, swollen lymph nodes, and rash with blisters on face, hands, feet, body, eyes, mouth, or genitals.
How does monkeypox spread from person to person?
Monkeypox spreads from person to person through close physical contact with someone who has a monkeypox rash, including through face-to-face, skin-to-skin, mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-skin contact. This may include direct contact with the rash, or through hugging, kissing, or sexual contact.
Is there a vaccine against monkeypox?
Yes. A vaccine was recently approved for preventing monkeypox. Some countries are recommending vaccination for persons at risk (e.g., someone who has been a close contact of someone who has monkeypox, including health workers). WHO does not recommend mass vaccination against monkeypox at this time.
Is monkeypox a sexually transmitted infection?
Monkeypox is not a sexually transmitted infection. Monkeypox can spread through close contact of any kind such as face-to-face, skin-to-skin, mouth-to-mouth, mouth-to-skin, or sexual contact. Anyone with direct contact with a monkeypox rash, even without sexual contact, may be infected with it.