WHO vows to support DOH against monkeypox

The World Health Organization assured that it will support the Department of Health  as the Philippines detected its first case of monkeypox.

WHO Philippines Officer-in-Charge Dr. Graham Harrison said the organization will continue to work with the DOH to provide support in the implementation of national policies and plans.

“As we do with all disease outbreaks, WHO has been and will continue to work closely with the DOH to provide technical advice to support the development and implementation of national policies, strategies, and plans,” Harrison said in a statement released on Friday.

“The DOH has been proactive towards preparedness, prevention, and response to monkeypox, and we will continue our support as the situation evolves,” he added.

Health Undersecretary Dr. Beverly Ho said the first case of monkeypox in the country is a 31-year-old patient who had prior travel to countries with monkeypox cases, and was only tested for monkeypox on Thursday, July 28.

Ho said three of the 10 close contacts were in the same household as the patient. The close contacts have not manifested any symptoms yet, she said.

Earlier, the WHO declared the monkeypox outbreak, which has affected nearly 16,000 people in 72 countries, to be a global health emergency -- the highest alarm it can sound.

Monkeypox has affected over 15,800 people in 72 countries, according to a tally by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published on July 20.

Since early May, a surge in monkeypox infections has been reported outside the West and Central African countries where the disease has long been endemic.

Meanwhile, the first symptoms of monkeypox are fever, headaches, muscle pain, and back pain during the course of five days.

Rashes subsequently appear on the face, the palms of hands, and the soles of the feet, followed by lesions, spots, and finally scabs.

"If you think you might have monkeypox, we encourage you to seek medical advice. We at WHO want to highlight that monkeypox can affect anyone, but everyone can help reduce its transmission,” Harrison said.

The DOH said discussions with the United States government to secure vaccines for monkeypox were still ongoing.

It added that only a select group of the population would have to be vaccinated. —LBG, GMA News