DOH ready for mpox clade 1b — Herbosa
The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday, Sept. 9, expressed its readiness to manage mpox cases, even if the new strain, clade 1b, makes its way to the country.
“I think clade 1b will eventually come…siguradong papasok iyan (it will definitely enter [our country]),” DOH Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa said during a press conference. “It’s not a question of if, but when,” he added.
Clade 1b is a new mpox strain spreading rapidly in African countries. This strain prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) for the second time in July this year.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2024/8/17/mpox-what-is-it-and-how-concerned-should-you-be
All mpox cases detected in the country since 2022, up to this year, belong to clade II, according to the DOH.
Herbosa said that no mpox clade I strain has been detected in the Philippines so far
No need to convene IATF yet
Herbosa also confirmed that he had already met with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) to discuss mpox.
“I had an IATF meeting last week,” Herbosa said. During the meeting, which took place on Sept. 6, he provided an update on the mpox response and other related matters.
Herbosa noted that while the IATF-MEID is being regularly updated, it will not be activated for now.
“There’s no need to convene the IATF because the DOH, building on its experience from Covid-19, can handle this particular disease... kaya pa po (we can still manage this),” he said.
In a statement, the DOH said containment measures can be implemented by the department and local government units (LGUs) “should we get an imported case of mpox Clade 1b.”
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The DOH may also consider activating the IATF “should there be community transmission of mpox clade 1b.”
14 active mpox cases in the Philippines
Citing its latest data, the DOH confirmed that there are now 23 mpox cases recorded in the country. Of this number, 14 are active cases.
The DOH explained that the 14 active cases, all detected this year, belong to mpox Clade II and are “recovering at home.”
This year, new cases were detected in the National Capital Region (NCR), Region IV-A (Calabarzon), and Region II (Cagayan Valley). Of the 14 active cases, there are 13 males (including a 12-year-old) and one female, who is a healthcare worker.
Meanwhile, Herbosa said that public counting of mpox cases adds “no value to health” and only leads to anxiety and mental health issues.
“Surveillance, case finding, and community engagement are best handled by the DOH and local health authorities,” he added.
DOH Spokesperson Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo, however, clarified that the department “will continue” to release case counts and updates related to mpox.
Increased testing capacity
Herbosa said the DOH is anticipating more mpox cases due to increased testing capacity.
“Dadami ang numbers kasi nagte-test kami (the numbers will increase because we are testing),” Herbosa said. “We anticipate more positive mpox cases, as we are testing as broadly and as quickly as we can,” he added.
The DOH’s mpox response, which includes prompt testing, contact tracing, and home care, makes it “easy to break chains of transmission.”
No cause for alarm
Despite ongoing community transmission, the DOH said it is capable of managing mpox Clade II.
“Since 2022, the Philippines has had zero fatalities, and nine cases have fully recovered,” the department said.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2024/6/9/doh-reports-no-mpox-deaths-in-the-philippines
Herbosa assured the public that there is no “cause for alarm” since mpox, particularly Clade II, is a mild disease.
“Increasing case counts do not necessarily mean increasing infections,” the DOH said.
The DOH stressed that mpox clade II has “always been around, with people getting infected via close, intimate skin-to-skin contact.”
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2024/8/21/mpox-what-are-clades-and-how-do-they-affect-you
Those who were infected, the DOH said, “have also been recovering, and there have been no deaths.”
Herbosa emphasized that mpox transmission is “easy to break,” making the disease “easy to control.”
Since mpox is a “self-limiting” disease, Herbosa explained that “the risk of dying from mpox is low.”
Not like Covid-19
The DOH reiterated that mpox clade II is the “milder variant” of mpox.
“Unlike Covid-19, which is airborne, mpox Clade II is transmitted through close and intimate skin-to-skin contact, as well as through objects touched by patients with active skin lesions,” the DOH explained. “It does not spread as fast or as widely as Covid-19,” the agency added.
To break mpox transmission, the DOH advised the public to cover exposed skin in crowded areas and wash hands frequently with soap and water, or use alcohol-based sanitizers, as this “will kill the virus.”
The DOH added that objects can be sanitized with disinfectants or alcohol to eliminate the virus.
No lockdowns
As the mpox situation in the country remains “manageable,” the DOH emphasized that strict measures such as lockdowns are unnecessary.
"Based on our data, we will not implement any border control or community quarantine (lockdowns),” Herbosa said.
DOH, he added, will not mandate face masks or face shields “The best prevention is frequent hand washing and maintaining hygienic practices,” Herbosa said.
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