DOH: Present health guidelines enough to protect vs mpox

The Department of Health (DOH) said the present health guidelines were enough to protect the public from the mpox outbreak.

According to Darlene Cay's Saturday 24 Oras Weekend report, there were more than 17,000 suspected cases of mpox in 13 countries in Africa based on the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

At least 500 deaths were also recorded.

Since the World Health Organization re-declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern due to another outbreak of the disease in Africa, Sweden and Pakistan have also reported confirmed cases.

In the Philippines, DOH spokesperson Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo said that the total caseload of mpox remained at nine.

Four of these cases were detected in 2022, and another five were reported last year.

“No new mpox cases have been detected in the Philippines since December 2023,” he told reporters on Thursday.

Domingo noted that there was no need to issue a new guideline against mpox.

"Hindi natin kailangan mag-i-issue ng panibagong health guidelines dahil ang  mga kasalukuyang health guidelines natin ay nakakaprotekta laban sa  mpox," said the DOH spokesperson.

"Kung tayo ay mananatili sa ating mga tamang paraan ng paglinis, paghugas ng kamay, hindi tayo  masyadong madikit sa isa't isa sa mga lugar-lugar, maiiwasan natin yan."

The DOH released a memorandum in  2022 regarding the management of mpox, including guidelines on  screening and isolation.

Domingo said their coordination with the Bureau of Quarantine, which is currently guarding against the disease's entry into the country, was ongoing.

"Pag alam ng Bureau of Quarantine na isang biyahero ay galing o papunta sa  mga bansa na nasa kontinente ng Africa, malamang sa malamang ay meron... konting dagdag na tanong or may konting abiso," said  Domingo.

In June, the DOH refuted that an individual from  Central Visayas died due to mpox, emphasizing that none of the nine cases died due to the illness which is caused by the monkeypox virus.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO),  symptoms of mpox include skin rash or mucosal lesions, fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes.

The WHO in July 2022 declared mpox as a public  health emergency of international concern. It ended the mpox emergency in May 2023.

Infectious disease expert, Dr. Rontgene Solante said the government needed to make preparations for the acquisition of the mpox vaccine. — Sherylin Untalan/DVM, GMA Integrated News