THE Department of Health-Davao Region (DOH-Davao) announced increased surveillance efforts against mpox after Baguio City confirmed its first case.
DOH Undersecretary Abdullah Dumama Jr., Mindanao Concurrent Head, said the region will strengthen coordination with local governments to detect and manage potential cases.
“Dapat yung quarantine should be able to do something about yung mag detect yung pag identify (Quarantine measures should effectively identify and detect cases),” Dumama stated during a media interview on January 24, 2025.
He also highlighted the importance of training health workers and equipping laboratories with necessary reagents for accurate testing.
Dumama assured the region has sufficient isolation facilities and, to date, no mpox cases have been reported in Davao.
Baguio City's first mpox case of 2025 involved a 28-year-old male infected with the less severe Clade II variant. The patient completed isolation and was declared cured on January 17, 2025.
The World Health Organization (WHO) describes mpox (previously known as monkeypox) as a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus. There are two types of clades of mpox: clade I (with subclades Ia and Ib) and clade II (with subclades IIa and IIb).
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mpox is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus. Symptoms include skin rashes, fever, headaches, muscle pain, and swollen lymph nodes.
The virus spreads through close contact, contaminated materials, or infected animals and can be transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy.
WHO notes that vaccines are available for mpox, complementing other public health measures. RGP