CALAMBA CITY, Laguna (PIA) — The Department of Health – Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) Calabarzon reports 5 active cases of mpox in the region according to the department’s latest media advisory.
Data from the Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (RESU) indicates that the remaining active cases are located in Cavite with 3 cases and Rizal with 2 cases. All are continuing to recover at home under close monitoring by local health authorities.
DOH-CHD Calabarzon also logs two more recoveries of the disease, bringing the total to three recoveries.
The patients, a 29-year-old male in Cavite started having symptoms on August 19, while the 27-year-old male in Laguna had symptoms on July 3, both tested positive for MPVX DNA Clade II. Both had no history of travel three weeks before the start of symptoms.
Similar to the first recovery, the patients underwent monitored home isolation and received appropriate medical care. Patients were tagged as recovered and given clearance on September 20, 2024.
During a media forum held on September 9, Health Secretary Dr. Teodoro Herbosa emphasized that the public should not be alarmed by the increasing number of Mpox cases nationwide. He clarified that Mpox is a manageable disease and the virus causing it is not airborne.
Herbosa clarifies, “Increasing case counts do not necessarily mean increasing infections. Mpox Clade I has always been present, transmitted through close, intimate skin-to-skin contact. People have been recovering from it, and there have been no deaths reported.”
Assistant Secretary of Health and DOH CHD IV-A Regional Director Dr. Ariel Valencia emphasized the importance of maintaining personal hygiene and to avoid skin-to-skin contacts with Mpox symptoms or infections to avoid contracting the disease.
“Our first precautionary measure is frequent handwashing. Also, avoid close and intimate, skin-to-skin contact with individuals who have Mpox or show symptoms of Mpox infection. We should also ensure that bedding, clothing, and linens are thoroughly washed,” Valencia explains.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, can be known from symptoms such as skin rash or mucosal lesions accompanied by fever, swollen lymph nodes and sore throat, muscle aches and back pain, headache and low energy.
In a recent meeting of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council IV-A Committee on Disaster Response and Early Recovery, member agencies led by the Department of Social Welfare and Development recommends to the local government units to heighten their response and monitoring of cases through their respective surveillance teams.
“We support the recommendation that the LGUs should intensify their reporting mechanism and surveillance activities on dengue, leptospirosis, and mpox,” DSWD IV-A Assistant Regional Director for Operations Mylah Gatchalian said.
The DOH maintains its vigilant Mpox response to break chains of transmission locally, which includes prompt testing, contact tracing, and home care. Individuals that are reported to have the symptoms including lesions and skin rash are actively being monitored by their local government counterparts. (CH/PIA-Laguna; with reports from DOH-CHD CALABARZON)
