Cebu City remains free of monkeypox

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City remains free of monkeypox.

Dr. Ilya Tac-an, head of the Cebu City Epidemiology, Surveillance, Research, and Infection Control Division, said in an online forum on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, that Cebu City currently has no confirmed cases of the monkeypox disease.

“As of now, wala pa jud ta’y reported cases nga confirmed. Although, ang Department of Health naghatag na siya og department memorandum. Ang gi-strengthen nila ang atoang surveillance kay mo present man siya with rashes which could be nga pwede siya nga mura og chicken pox or allergic reaction lang or herpes,” she said.

Tac-an also said that Monkeypox cases could present with the same symptoms of the secondary stage of syphillis like rashes with fever.

As she emphasized the need for proper tests and confirmation, Tac-an then encouraged those who experiences symptoms of monkeypox to seek immediate professional health consultation.

“Kinahanglan g’yod na magsubmit ta og confirmation before ta makaingon nga Monkeypox g’yod ni siya,” she said noting that suspected patients should also be honest about their epidemiological histories, including their recent travel to countries with reported cases of the disease.

The World Health Organization (WHO), earlier, maintained that the rapidly spreading monkeypox outbreak represents a global health emergency.

READ: WHO declares global health emergency over monkeypox outbreak

WHO defines Monkeypox as a diseased caused by the monkeypox virus and is usually a “self-limited disease” with the symptoms lasting from two to four weeks.

According to WHO, humans can contract monkeypox by coming into close contact with an animal or person who has the disease, as well as by coming into contact with contaminated objects.

By coming into close contact with lesions, bodily fluids, respiratory droplets, and contaminated objects like bedding, the monkeypox virus can spread from one person to another.

WHO furthered that the Monkeypox infection can be divided into two periods.

First is the invasion period which lasts between day zero to day five of the infection. It is characterized by fever, intense headache, swelling of the lymph nodes, back pain, muscle aches, and intense lack of energy.

Next is the skin eruption, which WHO said usually begins within one to three days of appearance of fever;  the rash tends to be more concentrated on the face and extremities rather than on the trunk.

/bmjo

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