No lockdown in place over Mpox – DOH

By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora, Philippine News Agency

In an advisory, the department said it does not see the need to impose a lockdown as Mpox is “not airborne.” (Pexels photo)

MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday denied information circulating online claiming a lockdown is in place in the country due to monkeypox or Mpox, advising the public to get information only from its official social media accounts.

In an advisory, the department said it does not see the need to impose a lockdown as Mpox is “not airborne.”

It also said Mpox cases logged in 2024 and in April this year were far higher compared to the cases in May

A graph released to the media showed that confirmed cases in April 2024 were higher than in May, but there were no figures.

“Nagkataon lamang na naghe-headline dahil aktibo at naga-anunsyo na ngayon ang mga LGU (It just happened that the cases are now hogging the headlines because local government units are more active in reporting their cases),” the DOH said.

The milder Mpox Clade II variant, and not the more fatal Mpox Clade I-b, has been recorded to date, it said.

“Mas mababa ang mortality ng Clade II, nasa mga isa sa bawat sampu, kumpara sa 4-5 ng Clade I-b (Mortality in Clade II is lower at 1 in 10 compared to the 4 in 5 among those with Clade 1-b),” it added.

The public is advised to heed health advisories issued through the DOH’s official social media accounts.