• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental is still monkeypox (mpox) free, as of this time, according to Provincial and City DOH chief Adrian Hort Ramos.
The declaration comes after the first confirmed case of monkeypox in Iloilo City, where four other suspected cases are currently under close observation, according to the Iloilo City Health Office.
All five individuals are currently in isolation and receiving medical care, with their condition reported as stable.
Hort said they have not lowered their guard against the emerging and reemerging diseases in Negros Occidental.
Monkeypox is a viral disease that causes fever, rashes, and swollen lymph nodes. It is spread through direct contact with an infected person or skin to skin contact, especially through sexual contact, exposure to respiratory droplets, or contact with contaminated objects.
Common symptoms include fever, severe headaches, muscle and back pain, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, and a distinct rash.
Preventive measures include avoiding close or intimate contact with suspected cases, maintaining hand hygiene, not sharing personal items, avoiding contact with animals, especially wild mammals, and seeking prompt medical consultation when symptoms appear, according to the DOH.*
