Mpox In Philippines: DOH Says No Need For Lockdown

Regarding the rising cases of Mpox in the Philippines, the DOH has this statement.

MPOX IN PHILIPPINES – The Department of Health on Saturday, May 31, says there’s no need for lockdown despite the several confirmed cases.

The very first mpox case in the Philippines was logged just last year in Metro Manila, and the infected patient has no record of traveling abroad. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), monkeypox is caused by the virus Orthopoxvirus and is a zoonotic disease.

On May 28, Iloilo City recorded its first case of monkeypox, and four others suspected to be infected were isolated and under observation. Monkeypox in Talisay City, Cebu, also has one confirmed case.

Adding to the numbers is a case confirmed in Davao City, which raised the number of confirmed cases to six.

With the numbers alarming a lot of people, the Department of Health (DOH) released a statement regarding the fake news circulating online. According to the health department, there’s no truth about the lockdowns in the Philippines.

“Walang lockdown kahit saanman sa Pilipinas. Fake news iyan,” said the health department on a Facebook post.

While the cases are rising in the country, the DOH said these are fewer than the number recorded in 2024. This is also not airborne, which is the reason why there’s no need for a lockdown.

It added that the news about the confirmed cases became frequent because local governments have been more active in monitoring cases. Also, there is still no case of Mpox Clade 1b, the more transmissible variant, in the Philippines.

Mpox can be transmitted through the following ways:

Skin-to-skin: Touching, hugging, or $3x
Mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-skin contact: Kissing
Face-to-face with someone who has mpox: Talking or breathing close to one another, which can generate infectious respiratory particles
Through indirect contact with contaminated surfaces like beddings, clothing, and linens

Common symptoms are: