CHO Urges Reporting of Suspected Mpox Cases for Testing

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY – While there are no confirmed monkeypox (mpox) cases in the city, the City Health Office (CHO) is urging the public to report suspected infections to help prevent local transmission.

Dr. Grace Tan, head of the CHO Environmental Sanitation Division, emphasized the importance of public awareness following laboratory-confirmed mpox cases in Iloilo City and province on Wednesday.

She said timely reporting is critical to confirming cases and stopping potential spread.

“We cannot identify suspected cases unless they are reported,” Tan said.

“If the public does not cooperate, it will be difficult to pinpoint or respond to potential infections,” she added.

She noted that the CHO can collect samples for testing and send them to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).

Tan assured that the city is closely monitoring the situation, with the full support of the local government for disease surveillance efforts.

She said vaccines and medicines are available, along with isolation support through the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) office.

She also underscored that privacy is protected when cases are reported, with no names or personal details disclosed on social media.

Tan confirmed that one mpox test was previously conducted in the city but returned a negative result.

To boost public awareness, the CHO released an advisory explaining that mpox is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus, which belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus.

Adrian Hort Ramos, provincial and city officer of the Department of Health (DOH), said the agency remains vigilant against emerging and re-emerging diseases.

“We are not letting our guard down when it comes to emerging diseases and overall health concerns,” he said.

He added that surveillance and monitoring continue throughout the province, especially in Bacolod City as a highly urbanized area.

So far, the Negros Island Region (NIR) remains mpox-free based on current epidemiological surveillance.

Ramos urged anyone showing symptoms to seek medical attention promptly to determine the type of infection.