Quezon City logs 2nd, 3rd mpox cases

The Quezon City government has recorded its second and third cases of mpox infections.

The second case is a 29-year-old male while the third case is a 36-year-old male. Both of them are undergoing home isolation and receiving medical attention, the QC government said in a statement on Saturday.

The development comes a week after the local government announced the city's first case.

The second case started exhibiting symptoms, including a mouth lesion, on Aug. 21. He self-reported the next day and was tested for mpox on Aug. 28. The positive result came in two days later.

On the other hand, the third case suffered a fever on Aug. 26 and had an onset of rash the next day. Analysis of his specimen at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Muntinlupa City showed a positive result.

The Quezon City Epidemiology and Surveillance Division (QCESD) has initiated contact tracing efforts in relation to the two new cases. It is monitoring identified individuals who were found to have been exposed to the patients.

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte urged residents to take health precautions against the disease.

"Kung may sintomas kayo ng mpox, agad nang pumunta sa pinakamalapit na health center o ospital para magpatingin. Hindi namin kayo papabayaan at handang tumulong ang lokal na pamahalaan para sa inyong mabilis na pagpapagaling," the mayor added.

(If you are exhibiting symptoms of mpox, go to your nearest health center or hospital immediately for examination. The local government will attend to you and stands ready to provide assistance for your speedy recovery.)

READ | What is Mpox? Everything you need to know about the virus that is now global concern

As of Sept. 1, ahead of Quezon City's latest announcement, the Department of Health (DOH) reported eight active mpox cases in the country.

All of them tested positive with MPXV clade II, which is a milder form of the mpox virus. At the time, the total mpox caseload in the Philippines was at 17 since July 2022.

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa earlier said suspected cases of mpox may avail of testing services in government hospitals for free "as of now" to confirm whether or not they have the monkeypox virus.  — VDV, GMA Regional TV News