MANILA — The Philippines has reported two new cases of mpox, bringing the total number of active cases in the country to three this year, the Health Ministry announced on Monday.

The new cases involve two men in their mid-30s, one of whom is from the capital, Manila, according to local broadcaster ABS-CBN News.

"Both have MPXV Clade II, which is the milder form of the mpox virus," said Albert Domingo, a spokesperson for the Department of Health.

The Philippines reported its first mpox case of the year just last week. Since July 2022, the country has recorded a total of 12 cases.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared mpox a "public health emergency of international concern."

Since the beginning of 2024, over a dozen African countries have reported outbreaks of the disease, with the Democratic Republic of Congo accounting for more than 90% of reported cases. The variant prevalent in Africa is believed to be both more contagious and more deadly than the "clade 2" variant, which was responsible for the global outbreak that began in 2022.

Formerly known as monkeypox, mpox is a viral disease that spreads through close contact and contaminated materials such as sheets, clothing, and needles, according to the WHO. — Agencies