The Department of Health (DOH) will heighten surveillance and border control as precautionary measures against the monkeypox, Health Undersecretary Abdullah Dumama said.
During the “Talk to the People” press briefing with President Rodrigo Duterte on May 23, Dumama raised concern on the recent cases detected in nine countries across Europe, North America, and Australia.
Symptoms of Monkeypox include fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes, according to the DOH.
“Maihahalintulad ito sa sintomas ng smallpox, maliban sa swollen lymph nodes. Ngunit ito po ay, sa kabutihang palad, medyo less contagious at less severe,” Dumama said.
Dumama said that the DOH, along with national agencies, will implement the four-door strategy to prevent the virus from entering the country and infecting citizens.
First, the “Point of Origin” which “implement[s] strict border controls for all travelers from other high-risk countries.”
Second, the “Point of Entry” that focuses on the “screening, testing and quarantine at points of entry to the Philippines.”
Third, “Point of Care” that uses the “Prevent-Detect-Isolate-Treat-Reintegrate approach, plus safe effective vaccination once available.”
Lastly, “Preparing the Healthcare System” that addresses health workers, patients, facilities, equipment, and medicines at work.
According to Dumama, monkeypox is an “Orthopoxvirus disease,” that is “reemerging from the tropical rainforests in West and Central Africa.”
Orthopoxvirus, according to the Center for Disease and Control Prevention, is a genus family that includes other viruses that can infect humans like smallpox, vaccinia virus, and cowpox virus.
“Ang monkeypox po ay isa [ring] zoonotic disease. Ang ibig sabihin po nito, [ay] nagmula po ito sa mga hayop,” he said.
The virus can be transmitted in two ways: human-to-human and animal-to-human transmission according to Dumama’s report.
For human-to-human transmission, the virus can be passed along through “droplet transmission, direct contact with body fluids or infected skin, indirect contact with contaminated clothing or linens.”
While animal-to-human transmission includes “bite or scratch, raw or minimally processed wild meat, direct contact with body fluids or infected skin, indirect contact with contaminated materials.”
Dumama also reminded the public to strictly follow precautions, much like the COVID minimum health standards, to prevent contracting the virus.
He added, “Atin ding hinihimok ang mahigpit na pagsunod sa ating minimum public health standards.”
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