Franco Nube 
Public concern rose regarding a new virus that could potentially induce lockdowns similar to the ones experienced when COVID-19 struck, after the World Health Organization declared mpox (formerly Monkeypox) as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) after more than 16,000 cases were tallied in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that resulted to about 570 deaths this year.
Distress among Filipinos also increased after a new case of mpox was declared by the Department of Health this August 19, 2024, when a 33-year-old male with no recent history of travel contracted the virus, being the first reported case of mpox this year after the WHO’s health emergency declaration on mpox.
Mpox in Philippine soil
The DOH declared that the most recent case of mpox in the Philippines is from a patient with no recent travel history, signifying that the mpox case was caused by the pre-existing weaker variant of the virus that entered Philippines back in 2022, as was confirmed by Health Secretary Ted Herbosa that the pathological agent for the recent case is the mpox clade II strain.
An earlier health emergency was also declared by WHO in 2022, when cases of mpox surged due to the clade II strain, which made its way to the Philippines resulting to 9 reported cases of the virus — and later reported by the DOH that all patients fully recovered; this ascertains that the DOH is well capable of handling the current virus and prevention of the clade IB variant is still possible.
New strain of mpox
The mpox virus, formerly known as monkeypox virus is a viral disease that was discovered in 1958 among a group of laboratory monkeys in Denmark. It is a virus with common symptoms of rashes and elevated skin lesions, and it belongs to the same genus (a taxonomic category) as smallpox under the Orthopoxvirus genus, according to WHO.
There are two distinct categories of mpox virus, called clade I and II; the more severe type of mpox is endemic to central Africa called clade I and can even cause death, and clade II is a variant that is less severe and is endemic to west Africa, and both of these clades are transmissible by skin-to-skin contact with lesions, including during sex.
Both clades of mpox primarily propagate through close physical contact, as well as contact with rashes, mucus, or saliva of an infected individual, but it can also spread through contact with contaminated materials and infected animals such as rodents, monkeys, and other possible hosts.
The clade IB mpox strain is the current concern of the WHO, a deadlier and faster-spreading variant responsible for the international health emergency, and causing more than 16,000 cases and more than 500 deaths in DRC alone; it is currently spreading to neighboring countries and to the international community, with Sweden and Thailand reporting their first cases of the virus.
Preventative measures
The main reason as to why the mpox virus is not the new COVID is because governments, health agencies, and international organizations are better prepared and capable of handling it, given the experiences gained from handling the COVID-19 pandemic that struck the world prior.
“We know how to control mpox. In the European Region, we know the steps needed to eliminate its transmission altogether,” said the WHO Europe regional director Dr. Kluge.
Unlike COVID, there are already vaccines available and proven to be effective in protecting humans from mpox virus and similar viruses — giving the international community an advantage in stopping the spread of the virus.
It is still the responsibility of the people to be aware of the current health emergency, regardless if the DOH and other agencies are more competent and capable, because in order to eradicate this ongoing epidemic and prevent it from spreading to the extent of COVID-19, cooperation between governments and their people must be present.
Mindfulness of the symptoms of mpox is imperative, such as flu-like fevers, body pains, rashes, and elevated lesions throughout the body and mucus membranes so that we can prevent its widespread. If we are experiencing these symptoms, immediately contact the nearest health units, and practice preventative methods such as social-distancing and temporary personal quarantines.
