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Close contacts of 1st monkeypox case still in isolation: DOH
The World Health Organization has declared monkeypox as a public health emergency of international concern. (Pixabay photo)
MANILA – The 10 close contacts of the first monkeypox case in the country are still undergoing the required quarantine period.
“And [they] have remained asymptomatic,” the Department of Health told reporters on Thursday in a Viber message.
On July 29, the DOH reported the first monkeypox case – a 31-year-old Filipino who arrived from overseas on July 19.
“To date, there has been no new case of monkeypox in the country,” the DOH said.
The World Health Organization has declared monkeypox as a public health emergency of international concern.
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared public health emergency over America because it is one of the countries with the most number of monkeypox cases.
Unlike coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), monkeypox is spread through close or intimate contact with someone infected.
In a televised public briefing Thursday, former National Task Force Against Covid-19 adviser, Dr. Ted Herbosa, said the government had asked the American government if it can supply the country vaccines against monkeypox.
“Dalawang klaseng brand ito, ito iyong smallpox vaccine. Hindi ito specific sa monkeypox pero nakita nilang epektibo ito sa pag-prevent kapag na-expose ka, pag-prevent ng pag-develop ng monkeypox, (These are two brands, smallpox vaccine. This is not specific to monkeypox, but it is seen effective when you’re exposed, to prevent developing monkeypox),” he said.
Herbosa said the jabs are not given to everyone as these are administered post-exposure to monkeypox cases. Post-exposure vaccine or post-exposure vaccination protects uninfected individuals from having the infection they have been exposed to.
“So, hindi pa tayo nakaka-acquire nito, hindi pa rin nakarehistro sa ating FDA. So, I hope our Department of Health will try to acquire some of these, para sa mga mangangailangan nito dito sa Pilipinas (We have not acquired them, they are not yet registered with the FDA [Food and Drug Administration]. So, I hope our Department of Health will try to acquire some of these in case we need them here in the Philippines),” he said.
He added that at present, there is no community transmission of monkeypox in the country.
VIlma L.
August 11, 2022 at 8:20 PM
I believe this is dangerous and we shall restrict even the finest one. What we have here is containing the virus, in which we can acquire as the same with other viruses that leaving us mark. A very deadly cases can cause more fatality and much harder to cure since it is new virus comparing to a COVID-19. Hope that this won’t be spread into us, because whatever reason of this, lockdowns shall not be an option anymore.
Abundio Mendoza
August 12, 2022 at 3:09 AM
Sana gumaling na yung may unang kaso ng monkeypox dito sa Pilipinas at ganun yung mga close contacts nito at buti nalang asymptomatic sila..Sana din magkaroon ng vaccine kontra monkeypox incase na dumami ang magkasakit nito..Sana naman hindi na masundan ang unang case..Dagdagan natin ang pag-iingat.
Aries Veloso
August 12, 2022 at 8:50 AM
Mag-ingat po ang lahat. Hanggat maari iwasan talaga muna ang makisalamuha lalo at di kailangan. Napakaraming kaso ng iba’t-ibang uri ng sakit ang kumakalat ngayon bukod pa dito may mga bago pa na lalabas at maaring kumalat. Kahit pa sabihin na hindi STD ang monkeypox ito ay isang nakakabahalang sakit na hindi biro kapag nakahawa. Sana ay maging maayos na silang lahat upang hindi na ito kumalat pa. Lahat ng nahing close contact ng first monkeypox cariier ay sana ma trace nila upang ito ay maagapan na kaagad.