Government hospitals ready isolation facilities for monkeypox  

MANILA, Philippines —Amid the threat of monkeypox virus, the Department of Health (DOH) yesterday reported that government hospitals nationwide are now readying isolation facilities.

Top health officials are undertaking necessary preparations and coordination to ensure the country is prepared for both monkeypox and developments in the ongoing COVID pandemic.

The DOH said its field implementation and coordination team and the One Hospital Command Center are working on the specific designation of isolation facilities.

“The priority now is to ensure compliance with requirements,” the DOH said, noting it earlier designated the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine as the main facility for suspect, probable and confirmed monkeypox cases.

But all government hospitals, the health agency said, should prepare an area for isolation and treatment facilities.

Cases should be immediately isolated in a private room, preferably with negative air pressure until signs and symptoms have been resolved.

Health authorities gave assurance that preparation is underway although a case of monkeypox has yet to be detected in the country at this time.

Symptoms of monkeypox include fever, rashes and swollen lymph nodes.

The virus is less contagious and causes less severe illness compared to smallpox.