THE number of active mpox cases in the country rose to eight as three more cases have been detected, the Department of Health said on Sunday.

Mpox surveillance systems reported three more confirmed mpox cases - two in Metro Manila and one in CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) region. All three have the milder MPXV clade II.

The country now has 17 mpox cases.

Cases 15 and 16 had anonymous sexual encounters with more than one partner, while case 17 had close, skin to skin sexual contact with another person who had skin symptoms.

Nine of the 17 cases have long recovered. Eight are active cases waiting for symptoms to resolve.

"Anyone can get mpox, but it is crystal clear that the mode of transmission here is close, intimate and skin-to-skin contact," Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said.

Symptoms of mpox are skin rash or mucosal lesions, fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes.