By Liezelle Soriano
MANILA — Health Secretary Ted Herbosa has issued a warning to Filipinos about Monkeypox (Mpox) following the World Health Organization (WHO)’s declaration of the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern.
“This means it’s like an alert or warning. We don’t yet have a severe pandemic like COVID-19, but there’s potential for the number of cases to increase,” Herbosa said in a radio interview on Friday, August 16, 2024.
According to the Department of Health (DOH), large numbers of cases have been reported in Africa, Europe, and North America, with some cases also identified in Asia.
“There are only a few cases here in Asia, but they do exist,” Herbosa noted.
He emphasized that when the WHO declares a public health emergency of international concern, it advises health departments to be on high alert and increase their surveillance of the disease.
In response, the DOH has issued health advisories to inform the public about Mpox and how to prevent its spread.
The DOH has recorded nine cases of Mpox in the country, four in 2022 and five in 2023.
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