The country’s second monkeypox patient has recovered and was already discharged from isolation, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Friday, Sept. 2.

“Ang ating case number 2, yung 34-year-old Filipino national, siya po ay na discharged nung Aug. 31 from isolation (Our case number 2, the 34-year-old Filipino national, was discharged from isolation last Aug. 31),” said DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire in a press briefing.

“Completely healed siya (This patient has been completely healed),” she added.

Vergeire also added that the patient’s 18 close contacts have remained “asymptomatic for the rest of the quarantine period.”

3rd case

The country’s third monkeypox case is still undergoing home isolation, the DOH reported. While this patient has already completed the 21-day isolation period, this person is not yet tagged as recovered, it added.

“ case is not yet declared as recovered since not all of the case’s upper torso and left forearm lesion scabs have dropped off yet,” the DOH said.

“Status of lesions has not yet met the required lesion criteria for discharge from isolation. No additional rashes and symptoms were observed,” the DOH said.

Of the 17 close contacts, one is still undergoing quarantine, 13 are doing self-monitoring, and three have finished quarantine. The DOH said that “all are asymptomatic to date.”

4th case

The fourth monkeypox patient, meanwhile, is still under facility-based isolation, the DOH said, adding that this person’s “remaining rashes are drying.”

“No additional rashes or symptoms have been observed. Since currently in a facility, discharge from isolation criteria will be based on the assessment of the attending physician considering clinical status, including lesion stages, and/or laboratory criteria,” the DOH said.

Of the 20 close contacts identified, the DOH said that four are still in quarantine, one is doing self-monitoring, one is “assisting the case in the isolation facility whose quarantine will only start when the case is discharged from isolation,” and the 14 others have already completed their quarantine.

To recall, the DOH confirmed the country’s first monkeypox case last July 29. This patient had been discharged from isolation.

“At present, we have only four cases of monkeypox. The DOH is on top of the situation.” the state health agency said.