KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews / 29 April) – The lone confirmed case of the Monkey pox (Mpox) disease in South Cotabato province is already “under control” and no new infections have been reported, an official said.
South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. said the patient, who hails from Lake Sebu town, has been in isolation and all close contacts were properly traced.
He said they are still determining how and where the patient got the virus as the latter reportedly had no travel history outside the province.
“The patient had limited engagements with other people so it was easy to trace the contacts. So far the situation is already controlled,” he said in a briefing at the provincial capitol on Monday.
The Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) reported on Sunday night that a resident has tested positive for the Mpox Clade II virus based on a confirmation from the Department of Health-Center for Health Development Soccsksargen.
The province’s first confirmed Mpox infection was among the two suspected cases earlier monitored by the IPHO as cited in its advisory on April 23.
Tamayo said the other patient was a resident of Tulunan, Cotabato province who earlier sought treatment in a local hospital.
The patient also tested positive for Mpox Clade II as confirmed by the provincial government of Cotabato last Friday.
The governor advised residents to avoid close public engagements and make it a habit to always sanitize or disinfect as a prevention measure.
“But (Mpox) is not like COVID-19, which is airborne. We can be able to see Mpox physically and it can only be acquired through skin-to-skin contact and droplets so it is easier to control compared to COVID-19,” he said.
Tamayo reiterated that the province is prepared to combat the disease in case of a local transmission.
The IPHO earlier said local health units remain under heightened alert and continue to monitor the situation and comprehensive public health measures have been activated to effectively prevent the transmission of Mpox in local communities.
It advised residents to practice proper hand hygiene, regular disinfection of surfaces, avoid crowded settings, and immediately report any possible symptom. (Allen V. Estabillo / MindaNews)
