THE Quezon City local government activated its health response control yesterday, August 21st.
This follows after a 33-year-old man who tested positive for monkeypox (mpox) was found to have visited the Infinity Spa at E. Rodriguez Clinic and a dermatologist clinic also in Quezon City four days later. It can be noted, however, that he does not live in Quezon City.
Inquirer also reports that he’d gone to two other establishments in Metro Manila.
Rappler reports that the patient had initially visited the dermatologist for a consultation due to finding skin lesions on different parts of his body.
The doctor then found rash-like skin lesions on his arms, face, trunk, back, among other parts of his body, and immediately contacted barangay officials to transport him to RITM.
According to the Inquirer, a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test was conducted and was found to be positive for mpox viral DNA last August 18th.
Since then, Dr. Rolly Cruz, who is the chief of the Quezon City Epidemiology and Surveillance Division, has said that they have since identified 41 other individuals who’d come into contact with the patient.
Rappler also notes that the patient also had a sexual encounter with another client during his stay at the spa, which is one of the main forms of transmission for the mpox disease.
The patient who had initially gone to the spa and derma clinic was also found to have multiple partners and was a frequent spa visitor.
The clients of the spa have since been placed under mandatory home quarantine until September 1st, while others who came into contact with the patient are self-monitoring for any symptoms of the disease.
Health authorities will be calling those quarantined daily to check on their status to further contain the virus.
Infinity Spa has since been temporarily shut down after authorities found that the permits of the establishment – such as an updated business and sanitary permit – had already expired.
Preventative measures
As per the Quezon City Government’s official website, they are taking the steps needed to reiterate as well as improve their prevention, control, and response protocols against mpox ever since it was first detected in the country.
They add that there have been protocols set in place since 2022 when cases of the disease started popping up.
“Nurses, doctors, and medical personnel, including healthcare workers in social hygiene and sundown clinics, have been oriented about the virus,” they reassured.
“Likewise, the city has instituted protocols for sending specimens to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), as well as a referral system to hospitals.”
The Quezon City Government has also arranged for a Quick Response Team to handle mpox contact tracing, and PPEs as well as other logistical needs have since been distributed to ensure proper contact tracing.
Inquirer also quotes Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa in saying that the current variant of the virus found within the country is the milder Clade II, not the Ib currently circulating in Africa which is much more infectious and much deadlier than the former.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has also ordered the continuous monitoring of areas and people deemed most vulnerable to the virus, such as those who are immune-compromised.
He also met with government officials last Tuesday, August 20th, to further discuss the containment of the mpox virus.
