MANILA – Hong Kong’s first case of monkeypox is a traveler from the Philippines but not a Filipino, a health official said Friday.
In a media briefing, Department of Health (DOH) officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said other details about the case cannot be disclosed as they still need to be confirmed through an official report by Hong Kong.
“One that we can assure our Filipinos, hindi siya Pinoy, so hindi siya Pilipino, nagdaan siya dito sa Pilipinas bago siya umuwi doon sa Hong Kong (not Pinoy, not Filipino, the case passed by the Philippines before returning to Hong Kong),” she said.
The case traveled to the US and Canada before coming to the country.
“Siya po ay nag-exhibit ng sintomas pagdating na po niya doon sa Hong Kong (The case exhibited symptoms upon arriving in Hong Kong),” Vergeire said.
On Thursday, Philippine Airlines Spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said they have coordinated with health authorities in Hong Kong and shared relevant manifest information regarding the case.
Villaluna also said passengers on the flight who were in close proximity to the case have been notified.
“Nakapag-identify tayo ng mga close contacts at pag sinabi nating close contacts dito, this is because of the proximity of that individual with the passengers not specifically kasi nadikit sila o nagkaroon ng ebidensya na sila po ay nagkaroon ng interaksyon sa indibidwal na ‘to (We have identified the close contacts and when we say close contacts here, this is because of the proximity of that individual to the passengers, not specifically because they touched or had evidence of interaction with the case),” Vergeire said.
The DOH is closely monitoring the close contacts who are asymptomatic until now, she added. (PNA)
