QUEZON CITY CONFIRMS 1ST MPOX CASE

THE Quezon City government on Saturday, August 31, announced the first recorded case of mpox or monkeypox in the city.

The patient, a 37-year-old male and a resident of the city, is currently admitted at the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila.

The man started showing symptoms on August 16 and was admitted to the hospital six days later.

His specimen was brought to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Muntinlupa City and came out positive on August 26.

Initial investigation showed the patient had a recent local travel history.

Mayor Joy Belmonte said they are closely monitoring the condition of the patient and have identified his 15 contacts who are also being  monitored.

Aside from the first mpox case of the city, the Quezon City Health Department’s Epidemiology and Surveillance Division is also monitoring the contacts of the country’s first 2024 case who went to the Infinity Spa and Fahrenheit Café and Fitness Center.

Both establishments were ordered temporarily closed by the city government.

The first case this year in the country, which was confirmed on August 19, is also a male, aged 33, and had no overseas travel history.

Meanwhile, the city has implemented its prevention, control, and response protocols.

All healthcare workers in the city will receive training on reporting and managing mpox cases.

Belmonte urged establishment owners to cooperate with the city’s contact tracing efforts to help prevent the spread of the virus and ensure the safety and welfare of Quezon City residents.

She said the local government established the QC Task Force MPOX under Executive Order 14, Series of 2024.

The DOH clarified that mpox is not airborne and is  transmitted through prolonged skin-to-skin contact.

The Health Department released interim guidelines for the prevention, detection, and management of mpox.

The guidelines included maintaining hygiene, disinfecting items, wearing additional layers of protection such as long sleeves or jackets, and avoiding possibly contaminated animals like monkeys.

“Namamatay naman po agad ang  mpox virus sa sabon at paghuhugas,” said DOH-MMCHD (Metro Manila Center for Health Development) Regional Director Rio Magpantay.

Mpox can be transmitted to humans through close, intimate contact with someone who is infectious, with contaminated materials like used clothes or utensils, or with infected animals.

According to the Department of Health (DOH), as of August 28, the country has logged a total of 14 cases since July 14, 2022.

Nine cases have recovered since 2023 while five are active cases with symptoms being treated.