• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental remains free of monkeypox (Mpox) even as one case has been reported in Iloilo City, where four other suspected cases are also under close observation.
This was confirmed by Adrian Hort Ramos, provincial and city Department of Health (DOH) chief, on Wednesday, May 28.
Hort said they have not lowered their guards against the emerging and re-emerging diseases in Negros Occidental.
According to the Iloilo City Health Office, all five individuals are currently in isolation and receiving medical care, with their conditions reported as stable.
Monkeypox is a viral disease that causes fever, rashes, and swollen lymph nodes.
It is spread through direct contact with an infected person or “skin to skin contact” especially through sexual contact, exposure to respiratory droplets, or contact with contaminated objects.
Common symptoms include fever, severe headaches, muscle and back pain, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, and a distinct rash.
Preventive measures include avoiding close or intimate contact with suspected cases, maintaining hand hygiene, not sharing personal items, avoiding contact with animals, especially wild mammals, and seeking prompt medical consultation when symptoms appear, according to the DOH. | GB
