With the recent announcement of the Summer Capital’s first monkeypox (Mpox) case, the City Health Services Office (CHSO) has activated a health team that will ramp up the implementation of measures to prevent the spread of the disease.
The team is currently conducting information education communication (IEC) campaign, contact tracing and other strategies for case management and transmission prevention, the
CHSO announced in a press release posted at the Baguio CHSO website, dated January 21, 2025.
City Health Officer Dr. Celia Flor Brillantes is advising the public to avoid skin-to-skin contact like hugging, kissing, sexual contact and the like since it is one of the modes of transmission of the disease especially with the manifestation of symptoms.
Common symptoms of Mpox are skin rashes or muscle lesions that can last for two to four weeks, and these lesions are accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes, she said in the post.
Brillantes is urging residents to visit their nearest District Health Center for a check-up if these symptoms manifest. She is appealing for hotels, inns, lodges, Air BnBs, and transient houses to implement stricter sanitation procedures as Mpox can be transmitted through infected items such as beddings and other frequently touched objects or surfaces.
She emphasized that beddings, towels, and other similar items must be washed and sanitized every after use by guests or clients. Additionally, employees of these establishments are advised to wear face masks, gloves, and long sleeves when handling the housekeeping and laundry of such items to avoid the spread of infection.
Food establishments, including food delivery services, are likewise reminded to strictly adhere to proper sanitation practices. Handwashing areas in the establishments should also be visible to all customers.
In the press release, Brillantes stressed that riders who deliver food must observe proper and frequent handwashing before and after the handling of food and money. She also urged tourists and residents to wear masks, long sleeves, and long pants when visiting crowded places and events.
She further advised the bringing of hand sanitizers on all occasions and practised frequent handwashing. Events organizers are likewise urged to apply such preventive measures for all activities to be held in the city.
As a proactive move, should there be additional Mpox cases in the city, the health team is also preparing the reactivation of an isolation facility for patients whose own houses may not be conducive for home isolation, the posted press release stated.
The CHSO is currently in coordination with the Cordillera Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) for other preparedness and mitigation measures.**Gaby B. Keith
