DOH reports 3 new mpox cases, total now 8

The Department of Health (DOH) reported three new active cases of mpox in the Philippines on Sunday, bringing the total number of current cases to eight.

Two of the new cases are from Metro Manila and one is from Calabarzon; all tested positive for MPXV clade II, a milder form of the virus.

Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa urged the public to avoid intimate contact, especially anonymous encounters with multiple sexual partners, as these modes of transmission pose higher risks.

The DOH noted that findings indicate the transmission dynamics of Clade II still hold true: close, intimate, and skin-to-skin contact.

Local government units have been informed about the new cases, and passengers traveling in and out of the country are now required to declare any recent rash or blister symptoms as part of mpox surveillance efforts.

The total number of reported cases since July 2022 stands at 17, with nine recoveries and eight active cases currently.