By Katrina Gracia Consebido
The country is gearing up for the possible entry of monkeypox virus, according to Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAPi) President Dr. Jose Rene De Grano on Saturday, May 28.
In the Laging Handa briefing, De Grano said the Department of Health (DOH), along with other health facilities and local government units, is already on full alert as it continues to monitor reported symptoms of monkeypox.
“Ang binabantayan po natin diyan ay iyong fever, iyong mga muscle pains, iyon pong mga pagkakaroon ng lymphadenopathy or iyong mga kulani po, and then of course iyong rashes po na typical po doon sa supposedly na monkeypox,” De Grano said.
“Naghahanda na po ang ating lahat ng mga local government units, ang ating Department of Health na kung sakali man magkaroon tayo ng kasong ganito ay ma-contain po agad natin at nang huwag po mag-spread na kaagad,” he continued.
De Grano said there are available isolation wards for possible monkeypox cases, but there are no available vaccines yet in the country for the disease.
“I-a-isolate po namin na dati na naman po naming ginagawa – mayroon naman po tayong mga isolation wards. And then of course, dahil ito po ay reportable case, bagong kaso sa atin ‘to, ay iri-report po agad natin ito sa DOH nang sa ganoon po ay malaman kung papaano ang sunod pa nating gagawin,” he said.
“Very supportive lang po naman ang ating gagawin. Sa kasalukuyan po kasi wala pa naman pong mga bakuna for these things. So, ang ano po natin ay i-isolate and then supportive po ang treatment natin,” he added.
There are currently no cases of monkeypox in the country. – ag
