Fr. Dan Cancino, Executive Secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines – Episcopal Commission on Health Care (CBCP-ECHC) assured the public not be overly fearful of emerging diseases after the Department of Health reported 4 recorded cases of monkeypox .
In an interview with Radio Veritas, the priest said that being calm is important, especially knowing how to take care of oneself to prevent any illness.
“Tanggapin natin na ang monkey pox ay totoo. Ito ay nangyayari sa buong mundo at nangyayari din dito sa ating bansa. May mga kaso pero hindi kailangang maging aligaga o maalarma nang napakataas dahil ang mga kaso ng monkeypox dito sa ating bansa ngayon ay kontrolado ng ating Department of Health,” said Fr. Cancino.
The CBCP official urged that the government needs to step up the promotion of information dissemination to help the public gain more knowledge about the effects and symptoms of monkeypox.
The more common symptoms are fever, body weakness, dizziness, sore throat, and rashes on the face, chest, feet, hands, and even the genitals.
Fr. Cancino then reminded the public that it is important to maintain minimum public health standards such as wearing a facemask and following social distancing because monkeypox can be transmitted through coughing or sneezing and skin-to-skin contact.
“Kung mayroon tayong mga sintomas o senyales ng monkeypox, komunsulta kaagad sa doktor o kaya nama’y mas maganda sa public health facility para mas mapagtuunan at mabigyan ng tugon,” he added.
The first case of the monkeypox virus was reported in the Philippines on July 28. On August 25 the fourth case of sickness due to the virus was recorded from a 25-year-old patient without any travel history to countries with monkeypox outbreaks.
Monkeypox is a rare infection first seen in parts of West and Central Africa that is considered a “global health emergency” by the World Health Organization. (Fatima Llanza/RCAM-AOC)
