By Liezelle Soriano
MANILA — The Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday (August 31, 2024) advised the public not to be alarmed about mpox but reminded them to remain alert.
“Symptoms of mpox primarily affect the skin, so there is no need for alarm, but we should remain vigilant,” said DOH spokesperson Asec. Albert Domingo. He added that mpox is not an airborne disease and is transmitted through skin-to-skin contact.
“We just need to be cautious because in other countries, we have seen clade Ib which has a higher mortality rate that we are watching out for in case it happens here; hopefully it won’t happen,” the health official added.
Deaths related to the mpox virus vary significantly between its two main clades. Clade Ib has a notably higher mortality rate, with approximately 10 deaths per 100 infected individuals. In contrast, clade II shows a much lower fatality rate, with only one to four deaths per 100 cases, Domingo said.
When asked if there is already a vaccine against mpox, Domingo mentioned that the World Health Organization (WHO) prioritizes giving vaccines to Africa.
DOH emphasized avoiding skin-to-skin contact with infected individuals as a precautionary measure against acquiring the disease.
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