As part of its efforts to curb the further transmission of the viral disease, the Department of Health (DOH) announced on Tuesday, Sept. 3, that it would soon release mpox guidelines for various settings and establishments.
“The DOH is preparing to release specific mpox guidelines for various establishments and settings,” the Health Department said in a statement.
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The DOH said that it has been taking a “consultative and participatory approach” to formulating these guidelines, drawing on its mandates under the Sanitation Code (PD 856) and the Notifiable Diseases Act (RA 11332).
Response and preventive measures
To discuss mpox prevention as part of preparedness and response measures, DOH Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa and Acting City Health Officer Dr. Ramona Asuncion DG. Abarquez of Quezon City, along with DOH and Quezon City health officials and staff, visited two establishments on Sept. 3.
Gruppo Barbero Manila and New York Spa, located along Timog Avenue in Quezon City, welcomed a surprise visit from Herbosa and the composite DOH-QC health team.
“The public health officers learned about the operational concerns of the barbershop and the spa, especially in light of the current WHO declaration of mpox as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC),” the DOH said.
Herbosa noted that the DOH appreciates the cooperation of establishments such as barbershops, salons, and spas in its response efforts against mpox.
“The virus will find it hard to spread in businesses that actively work with health authorities,” Herbosa said.
“Adherence to public health standards is most effective when there is a clear understanding of the science behind infection prevention and control,” he added.
As of Sept. 1, DOH data show that there have been 17 cases of mpox in the Philippines since July 2022.
Of these, eight cases, all detected in August) this year, remain active and are awaiting treatment outcomes.
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