95% of monkeypox cases are passed through sexual contact
Published on: Tuesday 02 August 2022
By: Agencies
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Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net
MANILA: Department of Health (DOH) official Maria Rosario Vergeire said Monday that about 95% of monkeypox cases worldwide are transmitted through sexual activity. Vergeire, however, clarified that the monkeypox virus is not considered a sexually transmitted disease. “It is not classified as a sexually transmitted disease. Although now that this monkeypox virus has evolved, it can be contracted through sexual contact. In fact, 95% of cases currently in the world are acquired through sexual contact,” said she declared.
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The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that monkeypox can be spread “through close skin-to-skin contact during sex, including kissing, fondling, oral and penetrative sex. with a person who has symptoms. The WHO has also stated that anyone can contract or transmit monkeypox, regardless of sexuality. The DOH announced on Friday that the Philippines had already recorded its first case of monkeypox in a 31-year-old patient who arrived from overseas on July 19. He tested positive for the virus on Thursday, July 28. On July 23, the WHO declared monkeypox a “public health emergency of international concern” – the highest alarm it could sound. Vergeire said deaths from monkeypox have been reported and pregnant women and immunocompromised elderly people may be more vulnerable to the virus. “The resistance of immunocompromised people to the virus is low. Those who may also be vulnerable to monkeypox are pregnant women, young people and the elderly who already have many co-morbidities,” she added.
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Vergeire thus reminded the public to respect the same health protocols against Covid-19 to protect themselves against the monkeypox virus, such as wearing the best-fitting mask, clean hands and respecting physical distance. Meanwhile, infectious disease expert Dr Rontgene Solante said Covid-19 is even more dangerous than monkeypox, as people infected with the latter normally recover after 21-28 days. “They are different in terms of mortality because Covid-19 is more dangerous than monkeypox,” he said. “In general, it is a less serious type of infection than Covid-19,” he added. Meanwhile, the DOH said a number of Philippine hospitals can handle monkeypox cases. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire made the statement when asked if the government should set up reference hospitals for monkeypox, similar to the creation of Covid-10 reference centres. “We have hospitals specializing in infectious diseases, such as the Institute for Research in Tropical Medicine. We also have our San Lazaro Hospital, and level 3 hospitals across the country are all capable of doing and handling these kinds of cases,” she said. “So we don’t need a special referral hospital for that,” she added.
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