SANTA MARCELA, Apayao – Although there has not been a confirmed Monkeypox (Mpox)case in the municipality since its outbreak, the Local Health Board (LHB) strongly advised its residents to safeguard their health and prevent possible spread if infected.
Mayor Evelyn B. Martinez during the LHB Meeting at the EKB Clubhouse on September 16, emphasized the need to be kept well-informed, urging punong barangays to disseminate to their constituents about the disease and its symptoms.
Municipal Health Officer Dr. Myolaine Hilario leading the discussion said Mpox is a disease caused by infection with a virus that is transmitted through close physical contact with an infected person.
Hilario explained that the symptoms of Mpox are similar to those of smallpox to include rashes, sores on different parts of the body, fever, muscle aches, low energy, sore throat, and swollen lymph nodes. If someone is suspected to have been infected by Mpox, isolation and quarantine is recommended for self-monitoring of daily signs and symptoms for a period of 21 days from the last contact with an infected person.
Moreover, Hilario also warned residents on availing supposedly Mpox vaccines imported from abroad saying, while there is a vaccine available, it is not considered safe if it has not gone through careful evaluation from regulatory agencies like Department of Health and Food (DOH) and Drug Administration (FDA). She advised it is better to have FDA-approved vaccines once available in the country.
On September 7, the DOH-Cagayan Valley Center for Health Development recorded the first confirmed case of Mpox.
With Mpox and its imminent peril to public health, the LHB reiterated the importance of regular handwashing, sanitizing, avoiding close intimate contact, and refraining from unprotected sex in order to prevent the virus. By Arjay Baysa
