FALSE ALARM

Samples for monkey pox

Testing, turns negative

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol Oct 4 (PIA)— The two blood samples taken from patients suspected of having the dreaded monkey pox tested negative for the virus.

This is according to Provincial Health Officer Dr. Cesar Tomas Lopez, the blood samples which they submitted to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) came back negative of the monkey pox virus.

“The monkeypox viral DNA was not detected”, he read the results from the RITM.

Speaking during the recent third quarter full council meeting of the Provincial Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council, Dr. Lopez also assured that as long as Boholanos continue what the authorities instructed against the corona virus disease (COVID) pandemic.

However, Bohol Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado calls on Boholanos to continue healthy practices: isolation for transmission prevention for suspected cases, proper social distancing and avoiding body contact especially for suspected cases, proper hand washing and having healthy diet to bolster the antibodies fighting capabilities.

Mpox is a type of viral infection which manifests itself between 7 to 14 days after transmission, in the form of fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, back aches and swollen nymph nodes.

Earlier, local surveillance systems reported two suspected cases: one in a 7 year old boy from Tagbilaran City and another 20 years old boy male from Getafe.

To get confirmation, these samples taken from the two, were brought to the RITM, the national health research Institute tasked to develop new diagnostic techniques, and effective and efficient strategies for the control of infectious and or tropical diseases, like monkey pox.

While monkey pox is almost like smallpox which are viral in origins, monkey pox is generally less severe, smallpox already has a countering vaccine while monkeypox still emerges in certain regions.

As to the physician politician former mayor of Loon, monkey pox spreads mainly through close contact with someone who has mpox, making people very sick that leaves scars.

The disease mainly spreads from person to person through close contact. This includes, but isn’t limited to, sexual contact, Dr. Lopez shared.

Transmission occurs through exposure to bodily fluids; lesions on the skin or on internal mucosal surfaces, such as in the mouth or throat; respiratory particles; and contaminated objects, World Health Organization website stated. (RAHC/PIA-7/PIABohol)

STRICTLY ISOLATE. Isolation, especially from people who have manifestations of the disease, proper disinfection of items used by the victim, proper hand washing with soap and water or alcohol based disinfectants can help control the spread of the disease, says PHO Dr. Cesar Tomas Lopez at the PDRRMC. (PIABohol)