THE Department of Health (DOH) yesterday said the eight active mpox cases in country have yet to recover from the viral illness but are doing well.
In a phone interview, DOH Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo said the eight mpox cases are still in the process of recovery from the disease, which has been tagged by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
“All of them are doing well and are continuing recovery,” said Domingo.
He said six of the patients have been discharged from the hospital and are now recovering and under isolation at their homes.
Domingo said Cases 10 and 11 are still in hospital confinement.
Domingo said the first nine mpox cases recorded in the country have long recovered.
Under existing DOH guidelines, all symptoms of mpox are being treated with supportive care.
The DOH also said mpox patients with no other illnesses may stay at home after testing until all scabs fall off and a new layer of skin forms, which typically happens between two to four weeks.
Mpox is an illness caused by the monkeypox virus. It is a viral infection which can spread between people, mainly through close contact.
Common symptoms of mpox include a rash which may last for two to four weeks, fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes. The rash looks like blisters or sores, and can affect the face, palms of the hands, soles of the feet, groin, genital and/or anal regions. The lesions may also be found in the mouth, throat, anus, rectum or vagina, or on the eyes.
