The Monkeypox is a zoonotic infectious disease that is transmitted between species from animals to humans or from humans to animals.

This disease is similar to smallpox and it is known to be contagious through skin to skin contact but not deadly. Intimate touch with lesions, bodily fluids, respiratory droplets, and contaminated objects like bedding can spread disease from one person to another.

The Philippines has already confirmed four cases of Monkeypox, however, the patients were monitored and isolated immediately.

The Department of Health emphasized the need to monitor people who are coming from abroad especially from the countries with confirmed cases of the virus, and if they have the symptoms of monkeypox virus like the fever, headache, sore throat, runny nose, clogged nose, cough, body malaise, lymph nodes, and blisters in face, hands and feet.

One of the visible symptoms of Monkeypox is having blisters. This will appear after having fever for two to three days and will progress in five days up to within three weeks. The virus will last in the body and the symptoms will gradually appear.

Further, since Monkeypox is not a common disease, there is no readily available medicine or vaccine in the market.

“We still do not have treatment and no available vaccine in the Philippines,” Health Education and Promotion Officer of City Health Office of Zamboanga , Maria Christine Lim said.

DOH continuously remind the public that we are still in a pandemic, and the following of the minimum public health standards is the best way to also avoid the spread of Monkeypox, by maintaining physical distancing, correct and consistency of wearing facemask and hand hygiene.