41 Quarantined After Mpox Patient Visits Quezon City

(SPOT.ph) Quezon City is on high alert after a 33-year-old man diagnosed with mpox visited a dermatology clinic and, subsequently, an illegal spa where he had engaged in sexual encounters with another client. His interactions during the visit have led to the quarantine of 41 individuals who had close contact with him. 

The Department of Health (DOH) found he has no travel history outside the country but had “close, intimate contact three weeks before symptom onset.”

According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, infection takes place with direct skin-to-skin contact, contact with saliva or any other bodily fluids, and even indirect contact with contaminated clothing or objects.

“Interview with the patient revealed that he had frequented similar spas in other cities within the same period,” the Quezon City government said in a media release.

In addition, the spa where the incident occurred—Infinity Spa along E. Rodriguez Avenue—has also been closed temporarily due to a lack of business, sanitary, and environmental permits.

Also read: What You Need to Know About Mpox in the Philippines

Should we be worried about mpox in Quezon City?

The health department has been actively involved, with Dr. Rolando Dela Cruz, chief of the Quezon City Epidemiology and Surveillance Division, overseeing the contact tracing and monitoring efforts. Of the 41 close contacts, City Mayor Joy Belmonte said only seven live in Quezon City.

The virus is categorized into two main genetic clades: Clade I and Clade II. Clade I includes the particularly virulent Clade 1b strain, which has raised global health concerns. On the other hand, Clade II, known for its milder symptoms, was responsible for the widespread mpox outbreak in 2022.

According to the DOH, mpox symptoms can include skin rash, fever, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, muscle aches, and low energy. The virus is categorized into two primary genetic clades: Clade I and Clade II. Clade I includes the deadly Clade 1b strain, which has caused significant concern, while Clade II is the milder version of the virus that triggered the global outbreak of mpox in 2022.

“We are lucky because the mpox we found was the original variety, the Clade II... and it’s probably circulating in our community, among Filipinos,” Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said in an interview on ANC.

Before this incident, the last recorded mpox case in the Philippines occurred in December 2023, with all previously affected individuals having fully recovered. The new case brings the country's total to 10 cases in history.

“Since 2022, a response mechanism in addressing pox has already been established by the city. Nurses, doctors, and medical personnel, including healthcare workers in social hygiene and sundown clinics, have been oriented about the virus,” Quezon City said.

The DOH reminded the public “to be alert but not alarmed.”