MANILA, Philippines —The Quezon City government said on Wednesday that it placed under quarantine at least 41 individuals who came into close contact with the country's first mpox patient.
Mayor Maria Josefina Belmonte in a press conference said the 33-year-old Filipino patient went to a dermatology clinic and a massage spa along E. Rodriguez Avenue.
City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU) head Rolly Cruz said they were able to identify the individuals and placed them under quarantine to contain the spread of the disease.
The city government also closed down the spa after it was found to be operating without the necessary permits, Belmonte said.
The Department of Health (DoH) reported the first case of mpox, previously known as monkeypox, days after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the disease a global health emergency.
The Filipino patient had no travel history outside of the country, the DoH said.
The man became sick more than a week ago, first with a fever, "followed four days later by findings of a distinct rash on the face, back, nape, trunk, groin, as well as palms and soles," the DOH said.