DOH allays fear on Davao mpox cases

MANILA, Philippines — Health officials have assured the public that the reported cases of monkey pox or mpox in Davao City are of the milder Clade II variants.

The Department of Health (DOH) said the level of risk remains the same and there is no increased danger.

Earlier, the Davao City health office reported that one of two patients afflicted with mpox and confined in an isolation facility of a hospital has died.

“The patient who passed away did not succumb to mpox. The patient was severely immunocompromised and was likely to have died of non-mpox complications,” the DOH said in a statement.

According to the Davao City health office, its established mpox response measures worked and the surveillance system detected the cases, which led to the patients’ isolation.

City health officials said that people wo have contacts with the patients are being monitored.

Common symptoms of mpox include skin rashes or mucosal lesions that last two to four weeks and accompanied with fever, headache, muscle aches, back pains, low energy and swollen lymph nodes.

The DOH said anyone could contract mpox.

“Mpox can be transmitted through close, intimate contact with someone infected with the disease. Contact with contaminated materials like used clothing and utensils, or with infected animals can also transmit mpox,” the DOH said.

Washing with soap and water can kill the virus, health experts said.

Patients with no other illnesses may stay at home until all scabs fall off and a new layer of skin forms, typically after two to four weeks, the DOH said.