Makati City Mayor Abby Binay has formed a monkeypox task force to monitor cases and proactively prevent community transmission of the virus know to attack the respiratory system.
Binay said the formation of the task force was decided by the city government even if there is no recorded monkeypox infection yet in the city.
Four offices under the Makati City Health Department comprise the said task force, namely, the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU), Health Emergency Management System, Sanitation, and the Clinical and Incident Command Post.
The lady mayor said they want to equip “Makatizens” with the right information about the virus to combat the propagation of fake news about it.
CESU conducted online orientations and seminars for frontliners at 26 barangay health centers last 7 to 23 June to brief them about the modes of transmission, prevention, detection, isolation and treatment of monkeypox.
Binay said the Ospital ng Makati is also monitoring monkeypox cases outside of the city and will meet with officials of the Makati Medical Center and St. Clare’s Medical Center today to discuss the city’s action plan in case of a monkeypox outbreak.
“We plan to integrate monkeypox data into our Covid-19 tracker so that we can use data in making game-changing decisions like granular lockdowns to prevent community transmission,” Binay said.
The city will continue to promote minimum public health protocols such as the wearing of masks, observing physical distancing, and frequent hand washing.
Like Covid, the monkeypox virus can be transmitted through respiratory droplets, bodily fluids, and contaminated objects.
Mayor Abby said CESU will refer suspected cases of monkeypox to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine for proper testing.
If a person tests positive for monkeypox, CESU plans to use one of the three buildings of the Makati Friendship Suites in Barangay Cembo to monitor, isolate, and treat the patient.
The city will provide free medicines and food packs to Yellow Card holders infected with the monkeypox virus, Binay said.
The mayor urged Makatizens and non-resident workers to report persons with monkeypox symptoms to CESU through hotlines (02) 8870-1445, (02) 8870-1446, 09270727794, 09280492927 and 09396756390.