Four new mpox cases logged in Calabarzon —DOH

Four new cases of monkeypox (mpox) have been recorded in Calabarzon, bringing the total number of infections tallied in the region to 13, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Friday. 

The DOH said that the new patients are aged between 24 and 66 years old and began experiencing symptoms in the first week of November. 
The four patients all tested positive for the Clade II variant, which is a milder form of the virus. 

Two of the patients are males from Rizal while the other two — one male and one female — are from Laguna. 

The three male patients are currently in home isolation. Meanwhile, the 66-year-old female patient was hospitalized but recovered on November 19, the DOH added. 

The DOH-Center for Health Development Calabarzon Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit assured the public that it is closely monitoring the situation. 

The mpox virus can be transmitted through intimate, skin-to-skin contact. One can also be infected through contact with contaminated objects. 

Among the symptoms are skin rashes or mucosal lesions, which can last from two to four weeks. The rashes are accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes. 

The spread of the virus can be prevented by proper handwashing, covering of mouth when coughing and sneezing, and avoiding close contact with infected people. —KBK, GMA Integrated News