With the situation getting worse, the World Health Organization issued a global public health emergency declaration over the Mpox or monkeypox spike in Africa.
The WHO hurriedly called a meeting of experts to investigate the outbreak due to concerns over the increase in cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and their spread to neighboring countries.
Under the International Health Regulations, which are obligatory in 196 countries, the Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) is the highest level of alert.
Country’s concern
Following the WHO announcement, the Department of Health (DOH) in Manila recommended the public to remain vigilant rather than to panic.
“We always say in public health, we have to be alert but should apply a right amount of paranoia. We also need to be knowledgeable on what to do so that we don’t get infected. We need to be careful,” said DOH Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo.
He affirmed that since December 2023, no Mpox cases have been reported in the nation.
“The Mpox case count in the Philippines remains at nine. There were four cases detected in 2022. In 2023, there were five – one in May, one in July, and three in December,” Domingo said.
Most importantly, the DOH advised the public to uphold minimum health standards amidst international health concerns.
Health measures
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that immunization can help prevent infection for those who are at risk of contracting Mpox, just like in COVID-19.
It is also imperative for governments to keep an eye on cases and begin to take preventive action.
Marks, a medical professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, underlined, "The key measure is likely to be vaccination," noting that vaccines meant to prevent smallpox can also prevent Mpox.
