ILOILO City – The city government plans to put up an isolation facility for monkeypox cases, separate from the quarantine/isolation facilities for coronavirus disease 2019.
Mayor Jerry Treñas discussed this during a recent meeting with officials of the City Health Office (CHO).
“Ang aton worry kay open ang aton mga borders. Sige-sige abot sang mga halin sa gwa,” said Treñas.
Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus.
Monkeypox virus is part of the same family of viruses as variola virus, the virus that causes smallpox.
Symptoms are similar to smallpox symptoms, but milder, and monkeypox is rarely fatal.
Friday last week, July 29, the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed the first case of monkeypox in the country – a 31-year-old Filipino who returned to the Philippines from an overseas trip on July 19.
“Ang monkeypox ginapreparahan naton. Siling nila infectious man ni,” said Treñas.
The CHO already briefed city government department heads about the monkeypox. It will do the same with baranggay officials and barangay health workers.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), monkeypox symptoms include rash with blisters on face, hands, feet, body, eyes, mouth or genitals; fever; swollen lymph nodes; headaches; muscle and back aches; and low energy.
WHO says monkeypox can be transmitted through close contact with someone who has symptoms including skin-to-skin contact, face-to-face contact, mouth-to-skin contact and touching contaminated beddings, towels, clothing or objects.
To protect one’s self and others from monkeypox, home isolation in a well-ventilated room is advised. If one has the symptoms, seek medical help.
It is also important to avoid skin-to-skin or face-to-face contact including sexual contact if you or the other person has symptoms; clean hands, objects and surfaces that have been touched regularly; and wear a mask and disposable gloves if you are in close contact with some with symptoms./PN
