The Philippines has reported its first monkey pox case of the year, but it is a mild variant, not the deadly strain causing global concern, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said on Wednesday.

The highly contagious Clade 1b strain, which has caused hundreds of deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo and has been detected in countries including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and Sweden, was not the one identified in the Philippines.

“The virus we’re dealing with is the older, milder Clade 2 variant,” Herbosa said, referring to the case involving a 33-year-old Filipino male. “It’s not as alarming as Clade 1b,” he added.

Herbosa confirmed that the patient, who has not traveled outside the country, remains hospitalized. “This suggests that the virus is circulating within the community,” he noted.

The Philippines previously reported nine mpox cases between 2022 and 2023, with the last one occurring in December.

On Tuesday, President Ferdinand Marcos directed health officials to maintain vigilant monitoring of areas and populations at risk of the virus.

(With ANI input)