2 more in Baguio test positive for mpox, health officials urge caution

BAGUIO, Philippines – Two new mpox (monkeypox) have been documented in Baguio City, bringing the total to four in recent weeks, the Baguio Health Services Office (BHSO) confirmed on Friday, February 7.

The latest cases involve a 21-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman, both of whom are in isolation and recovering, said Dr. Donnabel Panes, chief of the BHSO’s Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit.

Health officials are tracing those who may have had contact with the infected individuals.

Panes said there’s no cause for panic, but people should remain cautious.

In August 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox as a global public health emergency.

The BHSO formed a health team after two earlier cases of mpox were reported on January 17 and January 25. Both cases involved males: a 28-year-old who has already recovered and a 22-year-old who is currently on his way to recovery.

Another case was about a 32-year-old man who died after contracting mpox in Manila, but health officials said the case was not linked to local transmission in Baguio. The man had not visited Baguio for an extended period and was only buried in the city because his relatives live in the area, the Baguio Health Services Office (BHSO) said.

Common symptoms of mpox include a skin rash or mucosal lesions that can persist for two to four weeks, often accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, fatigue, and swollen lymph nodes.

Panes said the virus spreads primarily through close physical contact, including skin-to-skin contact such as massage, hugging, or kissing.

Prolonged face-to-face exposure without a face mask or protective equipment, respiratory secretions, and contact with contaminated objects used by an infected person can also transmit the disease. – Rappler.com