DAVAO CITY (MindaNews) – The local government of Davao has designated Camp Malagos of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines in Baguio District as an isolation center for monkeypox cases in Davao City, a Department of Health (DOH)-Davao official said.
Dr. Gerna Manatad, DOH-Davao regional director, told the Kapehan sa Dabaw on Monday that the city has designated its own 180-bed isolation facility for monkeypox as the local government units (LGUs) have been encouraged to prepare in anticipation of the possible spread of the disease in the region.
She said each regional and provincial government has also designated its own monkeypox isolation facilities. Still, the DOH-Davao has yet to release the total bed capacity of each province.
Manatad said the confirmed monkeypox cases would be brought to the facilities if their homes were unfit for isolation to treat the symptoms of positive patients.
There is still no monkeypox case in Davao, according to her.
The DOH central office reported last July 29 that a 31-year-old Filipino in Manila, who arrived from abroad last July 19, was the country’s first monkeypox case.
She said that the World Health Organization declared monkeypox a public health concern on an international scale.
“It’s very important that all our LGUs would know how to respond. We are guided by the interim guidelines on surveillance, monitoring, isolation, and then treatment and management of monkeypox,” she said.
She said that monkeypox could be transmitted through skin lesions, blisters, or body fluids of a patient infected with monkeypox and contact with contaminated materials.
Manatad said the DOH-Davao is assisting and providing technical assistance to the LGUs.
“We really need to step up in terms of monitoring, surveillance and preparedness,” she said.
Manatad said travelers to the city are being screened at the airport and seaport and required to fill in health declaration forms to help fight the disease. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
