Sophia Buenavidez

The Department of Health (DOH) clarified on May 31 that there is no major outbreak of monkeypox (mpox) in the country, dispelling online rumors about an impending lockdown. 

Photo Courtesy of AP.

In an official advisory posted on its Facebook page, the DOH said misleading posts circulating online have caused unnecessary alarm.

DOH spokesperson Albert Domingo explained that recent headlines and posts related to mpox arose from active announcements by Local Government Units (LGUs), amid circulating fake posts about a possible lockdown.

“There is no need for a lockdown. Mpox is not airborne,” Domingo stressed.

Domingo urged the public to verify health-related information and be cautious of fake posts, particularly on Facebook.

He also explained that wearing face masks alone does not prevent the spread of mpox and called for coordination between LGUs and DOH on proper health protocols.

Mpox is a viral infection primarily transmitted through close, person-to-person contact, and in some cases, via contaminated objects or environments.

Domingo further exclaimed that recent deaths linked to mpox were not directly caused by the virus itself, but due to advanced HIV cases.

"We are looking at the epidemic curve. Not the total number of cases. Because if we look at the number, the impression is that there are more cases,” he said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

According to the DOH, more mpox cases were recorded in April compared to May this year.

Only Clade II has been detected in the country so far, which has an estimated fatality rate of one in every 10 cases, considered milder than the more severe Clade I-b strain.