Malacañang announced that the Philippines has reported its first case of monkeypox, but assured the public that the Department of Health (DOH) has systems in place against the viral disease.
In her press briefing, Angeles said there was only one confirmed case of monkeypox, and that this will not affect the entire population.
"First of all, it's only one case. Number two, as you can see, it doesn't affect the entire population," she said.
"This is not like Covid-19, which can be spread by air easily and can possibly be fatal. This is not particularly fatal, but it is of concern," she added.
Despite this, Angeles said President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. still wanted the public properly informed about it, and that the DOH has systems against the disease.
"His (Marcos) primary concern was to get the information out so that people will be aware, but also to be aware that the systems of the DOH are in place. And that this is not the same Covid," she said.
In the same press briefing, DOH officer-in-Charge Undersecretary for Public Health Services Team Dr. Beverly Ho said the patient is a 31-year-old Filipino who arrived in the country last July 19 after traveling to nations with documented monkeypox cases.
They confirmed his diagnosis at the DOH-Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) via a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test on July 28, and was later on discharged.
DOH's Dr. Beverly Ho said the 10 close contacts of the country's first monkeypox case are not showing any symptoms. The patient, a 31-year-old Filipino who's been to areas with confirmed cases of monkeypox, has already recovered. @manilabulletin
— Argyll Cyrus Geducos (@argyllcyrus_MB) July 29, 2022
According to Ho, the patient has recovered, and they have detected 10 close contacts, three of which belong to the same household as the patient.
However, Ho declined to reveal the patient's gender, travel history, or area of residence but assured the public that the patient has already recovered, and is being strictly monitored while in isolation.
The close contacts are being monitored and are in isolation as well. They have to undergo quarantine for 14 to 21 days based on the onset of their symptoms.
Monkeypox is a viral disease transmitted through physical, skin-to-skin contact. Ho said the disease could also be transferred through "intimate sexual contact" with those who have rashes or open lesions.
She added that anyone could get the disease. Those who traveled to countries with monkeypox cases and then developed symptoms such as fever, lymphadenopathy, and rashes, are advised to seek immediate medical attention.
Ho likewise advised the public to minimize close sexual contact with suspected cases, particularly those with rashes or open wounds. She reminded the people to keep their hands clean, cough on their elbows, wear masks, and choose areas with good ventilation.