DOH: Mpox cases under control, PH not included in WHO public health emergency

Despite the rise of Monkey pox virus (Mpox) cases in the Philippines, the situation is under control and the country is not included in the public health emergency of international concern issued by the World Health Organization (WHO), according to the Department of Health on Sunday.  

In a report in Super Radyo dzBB, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said that despite the rise of an undisclosed number of local Mpox cases, the number is below figures recorded in the same period in 2024.

Mpox cases sa bansa, kontrolado; Pilipinas, hindi kasama sa public health emergency ng @WHO, ayon sa @DOHgovph. #SuperBalitaSaTanghali https://t.co/Jl7zdr26Yg

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) June 15, 2025

“There is a slight increase of cases in some (local government units) but this is not higher than last year. Mas mataas pa din ang nakita naming cases from last year. We are increasing our campaign in education, treatment and isolation para hindi siya kumalat at dumami pa (to prevent cases from spreading and  increasing),” Herbosa said. 

(The number of cases we observedin 2024 is higher than this year.)

Herbosa did not specify the exact locations where the new Mpox cases were reported but said the disease is of the milder Clade II variant compared to Clade I which has a higher mortality rate.

Under the Clade II classification, Mpox cases are self-limiting or could heal by itself and does not require close-in intervention from the government.

The worldwide emergency covers Clade Ib, the a variant of the Mpox virus that has shown enhanced transmissibility, particularly through close contact and sexual transmission. —RF, GMA Integrated News