The Philippines has detected the first case of Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, international news outlets reported on Monday. Governments across Asia have implemented preventive control measures to curb the potential spread of the virus.
The news follows other known cases in the Democratic Republic of (DRC), Pakistan, and Sweden.
Authorities are still determining whether it is the more lethal clade I subtype. The patient, reportedly in his 30s, was quickly addmitted to the hospital after exhibiting symptoms such as fever, fatigue, and skin rashes.
As the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern—its highest level of alert—other Asian countries have initiated various measures to prevent a potential outbreak.
According to RFI, Malaysia has advised travelers from Mpox-affected areas to closely monitor their health and seek medical attention if symptoms appear within three weeks of arrival.
In Indonesia, visitors are now required to fill out a medical form detailing their recent travel destinations. Thailand has also strengthened its border controls, while China has implemented a six-month testing protocol for travelers to screen for symptoms.
Morocco’s Health Ministry has also taken proactive steps. The ministry directed regional health and social protection managers on Friday, as well as university hospital center heads, to update the national monitoring and response plan for Mpox.
“Following the WHO’s declaration of a public health emergency on August 14 due to the rapid spread of Mpox, the Ministry has proactively updated its monitoring and response procedures, which have been in place since the 2022 alert,” the ministry said in a press release.
The updated procedures aim to facilitate the early detection of imported cases, enabling swift action to curb the disease’s spread within the country. Key updates include revised case definitions, handling protocols, and reporting procedures.
In the DRC, one of the hardest-hit countries by the disease with over 570 reported deaths, vaccine doses promised by the United States and Japan have yet to arrive.
According to Congo’s Health Minister, Samuel-Roger Kamba, the DRC plans to vaccinate 4 million people, including 3.5 million children.
“I hope we will see the vaccines arrive next week. Our strategic vaccination response plan is ready; we are just waiting for the vaccines,” the country’s health minister stated.
Mpox is a zoonotic disease that spreads from animals to humans but can also be transmitted through close physical contact. The virus was first discovered in monkeys in Denmark in 1958 and was identified in humans in 1970 in what is now the DRC.