THE Bacolod City Health Office (CHO) issued an advisory Thursday, May 29, 2025, following the confirmation of monkeypox (mpox) cases in Iloilo City and Iloilo Province.
Dr. Grace Tan, head of the City Health Office (CHO) Environment Sanitation Division, said the public is advised to observe proper hygiene and avoid contact with infected people or animals with mpox.
“We need to be conscious that we have this kind of disease now so we need to report if you have symptoms that are not usual so we can do testing,” Tan said.
She added that currently, Bacolod City has no record of mpox or any suspected cases of mpox.
Tan noted that mpox is a rare viral illness that can be transmitted through person-to-person contact. It’s a zoonotic disease that can spread from animals to humans.
Despite its name, monkeys are not the primary reservoir of the mpox virus, instead, the virus is thought to be primarily found in rodents.
“In order to prevent the mpox, we should avoid contact with bedding and other materials contaminated with mpox, wash hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer regularly, thoroughly cook all foods that contain animal meat, and do not kiss, hug, cuddle or have sex with people with mpox,” Tan said.
She said the signs and symptoms of mpox, which usually appear five to 21 days after exposure, include fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, and a rash that often starts on the face and spreads. The rash can be painful or itchy and typically progresses through stages: macules, papules, vesicles, pustules, and scabs.
“If you get sick, you should immediately seek medical assistance as soon as you notice symptoms of mpox, especially, rashes, which can appear on the palms of the hands, soles of feet and even in the mouth cavity and tongue,” she added.
The Iloilo City Health Office (CHO) and the Iloilo Provincial Health Office (PHO) earlier announced that both mpox cases have been laboratory-confirmed by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).
The patient in Iloilo City is in stable condition and receiving medical care, while the patient in the province is also recovering at home.
Aside from mpox, the Bacolod CHO is also monitoring the possible cases of Glanders disease that started in Siquijor Island.
“So far, we don’t have any report of Glanders disease in the city,” Tan said.
Glanders is a disease caused by the bacterium Burkholderia mallei and is primarily spread through direct contact with infected animals, entering the body through skin breaks or mucosal surfaces. (MAP)