Agusan del Sur health officials confirm Caraga’s first known mpox case, and the patient’s travel to Davao shortly before he developed symptoms. The virus didn’t begin in Agusan del Sur, but that’s where it landed, carried by a man who had recently traveled from Davao City, a place already on alert for multiple confirmed cases of mpox. The man is now in isolation in a local hospital, and the confirmation of his infection registered as the first known case of the viral disease in Caraga, a region that, until this week, had remained mpox-free, at least on paper. The Caraga region, home to the world-renowned Siargao Island, is made up of the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Dinagat Islands and the cities of Butuan, Cabadbaran, Bayugan, Surigao, Bislig and Tandag. Health officials in Agusan del Sur confirmed the region’s first mpox case in a public advisory issued on Wednesday, June 18, and the man’s travel to Davao shortly before he developed symptoms. On June 2, the Department of Health (DOH) in the Davao Region confirmed eight mpox cases, six of which were recorded in Davao City. The patient had developed a pimple-like rash on the face and consulted a health care provider, and was immediately isolated in one of the hospitals in the province for close monitoring and symptomatic treatment. The confirmatory testing was conducted by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, the national reference laboratory for infectious diseases under the DOH. The patient’s close contacts have been identified and placed under quarantine, and as of posting, none have developed symptoms. Local officials advised those experiencing symptoms to stay home and self-isolate, proceed to the nearest health center, and undergo testing and treatment to help prevent transmission and avoid complications. The public has been urged to remain vigilant and informed, as mpox is a viral and zoonotic disease that can be transmitted mainly through direct skin contact or indirect contact with contaminated materials such as bedding and clothing.
