The Philippines on Monday confirmed its fourth case of monkeypox, a 25-year-old Filipino who has no documented travel history to and from any country with confirmed cases of the disease.
The latest monkeypox patient in the Philippines has been admitted to an isolation facility after testing positive for the disease on Aug. 19, the Department of Health said.
The newest case is unrelated to the previously confirmed three other monkeypox cases, the DOH added.
READ: Monkeypox Emergency: What We Know So Far
Fourteen close contacts of the fourth monkeypox case have been identified according to the health department, noting that "intensive case investigation and contact tracing is ongoing".
Among the close contacts identified by the DOH is a healthcare worker who was in complete personal protection equipment at the time of the consultation of the case, and another individual who is taking care of the fourth monkeypox patient in the isolation facility.
Six other identified close contacts are undergoing quarantine while details of the six others are "being verified", the DOH said.
Usec. Maria Rosario Vergeire, the officer in charge of the DOH, urged the public to avoid close and sustained physical contact with suspected cases, especially those with rashes or skin lesions.
"Let us remember that Monkeypox is different from COVID-19. Monkeypox spreads through skin-to-skin contact with cases who have rashes or skin lesions, or with objects that have come into contact with the case. If you have fever, swollen lymph nodes, and rashes or skin lesions, immediately consult your healthcare provider," she said.
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