The assurance came Tuesday night, August 23, from Negros Occidental Provincial Health Officer Ernell Tumimbang, as he emphasized that there is no need for a preemptive closure of borders despite the confirmation of the Department of Health (DOH)-Western Visayas that a resident of Iloilo province is the fourth monkeypox case in the Philippines.
“What we need to do is to check the ongoing contact tracing being conducted and look into the manner of how Iloilo is addressing the case,” Tumimbang said.
He said there is a need to be well-informed about it (monkeypox) so the people will know what to expect.
“(Let’s) be vigilant in monitoring but this should not cause for an alarm,” Tumimbang said, adding it is also necessary to know whether a local transmission of the disease has already taken place.
“If it does, then, we need to take due consideration so the province could prepare,” the provincial health officer said.
Earlier, he said the Provincial Government will identify hospitals for isolation of possible monkeypox patients.
In an advisory Tuesday night, DOH-Western Visayas Director Dr. Adriano Suba-an said they are closely coordinating with local government units (LGUs) and health facilities to further strengthen the surveillance following the detection of the first-ever monkeypox case in the region.
Suba-an also said that contract tracing and referral mechanisms, including management, has also been intensified.
The patient, he said, is a 25-year-old Filipino national from Iloilo province who worked in Iloilo City with no documented travel history to or from any country with confirmed cases of monkeypox.
At present, the patient is being treated and isolated in an undisclosed facility while contact tracing in coordination with the concerned health offices is ongoing, Suba-an added.
The line agency’s top official noted they have monitored 14 close contacts so far and that investigation is still ongoing to find out the source of infection.
Meanwhile, DOH-Western Visayas reminded the public to remain calm and properly informed about the monkeypox disease, including its symptoms, which are mostly mild and rarely fatal.
It is also advised to avoid close, sustained physical contact with suspected cases, especially those with rashes or skin lesions and continue the practice of minimum public health standards.
The public is also urged to refrain from unnecessary sharing of unverified information and photos of an individual’s health situation, especially in social media including contacts who are undergoing investigation and tracing in respect to the person’s right to privacy. (With reports from TDE)