The Bacolod City Health Office (CHO) is now preparing the isolation facility or the temporary treatment and monitoring facility (TTMF) in Abada Escay, Barangay Vista Alegre for the probable or confirmed patients of monkeypox (mpox) in the city.
Dr. Grace Tan, head of the CHO Environment Sanitation Division, said they already asked the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) to assist them with the preparation of the isolation facility including the funds for additional kits and ambulance to transport suspected, probably or confirmed patients to and from home to hospital or isolation facility and other identified needs as part of their preparedness and mitigation plan on the emerging threat of mpox as a potential health emergency which may affect the city.
She said they earlier sent three sample specimens of four individuals, all males from Bacolod City and Negros Occidental with symptoms of pox, to the Department of Health (DOH)-Western Visayas.
Of four, three of them have tested negative for pox and one is still pending for release, she added.
Tan noted that they followed the guidelines released by the DOH and based on the case investigation of the four patients, they have unexplained rashes with fever, and body aches, among others.
The CHO earlier reactivated the mpox team to monitor the possible pox cases in the city.
Tan said the CHO already intensified the information dissemination in various barangays about the signs and symptoms of pox as well as the transmission.
She said they also conducted training at different hospitals on how to collect the sample specimens, pack them, and coordinate with the CHO to transport them with the coordination of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) laboratory.
“ We want also to educate the public that we need to do the contract tracing to monitor the mpox cases. We don’t want to go back to the pandemic age of the Covid-19 pandemic where it was very chaotic,” she added.
Tan disclosed that the mpox patients should be quarantined for 21 days.
The DOH earlier warned the public to be vigilant following the detection of the country’s pox cases in Metro Manila.
Dr. Ma. Carmela Gensoli, head of CHO, earlier said the mpox is not airborne, it’s transmitted through contact with skin or mucosal lesions, adding that the symptoms of pox include skin rashes or mucosal lesions accompanied by fever, swollen lymph nodes, and sore throat, muscle aches, back pain, and headache.
Gensoli urged the public to follow the health protocols such as covering their mouth when coughing or sneezing, ensuring good airflow, washing hands frequently with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, and refraining from contact with individuals who have mpox or who are manifesting symptoms of mpox infection. /MAP