MPOX SCARE: Mandatory facemask policy in Cebu City ruled out

Local

CEBU CITY is not seeing the return of mandatory face mask rules anytime soon.

This, even as local health officials confirmed several individuals are now under hospital isolation as suspected Mpox cases.

In a recent press conference, Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia ruled out recommending face masks for the general public.

He pointed out that Mpox is not airborne and emphasized instead the importance of personal hygiene and monitoring close physical contact.

“We are not recommending that as of now because, as they’ve said, it is not airborne—so what’s the use of wearing face masks at this point in time?” Garcia said.

The mayor confirmed that four individuals are currently in hospital isolation after showing symptoms of Mpox. Their samples have been sent to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) for confirmatory testing.

Garcia stressed that these remain suspected cases and there is "no cause for public alarm."

“These are still suspected cases, not confirmed. There are four, and they are now isolated and have already been contact-traced,” he said.

Garcia explained that the city government and hospitals, including the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC), have long prepared for such situations.

He assured that CCMC has been “mpox-ready” since last year, in coordination with the Department of Health (DOH) and Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC).

“What’s important is not just the number of Mpox cases but our response, especially our surveillance, which we’ve already been doing since last year,” he added.

While Cebu City awaits test results for its four suspected cases, the DOH in Central Visayas has already recorded six confirmed cases of Mpox in the region between March and April.

One of these cases resulted in a fatality in Talisay City.

Dr. Joshua Brillantes, regional director of DOH-7, said five of the six patients have recovered. He clarified, however, that the individual who died had pre-existing health conditions that worsened the mpox infection.

“The fatality in Talisay City was a confirmed case, but the death was not directly caused by Mpox. He had comorbidities and a weakened immune system, which contributed to the complications,” Brillantes said.

All confirmed cases in the region involved males aged 40 and below.

At the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), isolation wards used during the COVID-19 pandemic have been reactivated and are ready to accommodate patients with severe Mpox symptoms.

Dr. Marileo Fidel Pataray, assistant chief of the hospital’s General Clinical Services Division, said their system has been set up to manage infectious diseases like Mpox while minimizing exposure to other patients.

“Any Mpox-related admission will not go through the emergency room but will be directed straight to the isolation facility to reduce exposure risks,” Pataray explained.

While Mpox is not considered a critical illness for most, hospitalization may be necessary for patients with underlying conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, or compromised immune systems, he said.

“So far, we are only accommodating patients who need a higher level of care,” Pataray added.

“The disease itself is curable. Most patients only require supportive management to strengthen their immune system and address symptoms like fever, fatigue, and rashes.”

Garcia emphasized that the city is taking a measured, science-based approach.

He said all suspected cases have been isolated, contact tracing is ongoing, and community transmission appears limited for now.

“You know, sometimes we think these are really isolated cases. Maybe this disease is not that highly transmissible,” Garcia said.

He also said the city has not yet provided aid to the affected individuals, such as distribution of relief goods, but confirmed they are being closely monitored and supported through health services.

“For now, our focus is on health-related responses like isolation and monitoring. We’re not yet at the stage of distributing relief goods,” Garcia explained.

Despite the emerging concerns, city officials reiterated that there is no reason for panic, and preventive health measures remain the best defense.(TGP)