Davao del Sur, Compostela town require wearing of mask over mpox cases

Metro Manila, Philippines - Local officials in Davao del Sur and Compostela town in Davao de Oro have required the wearing of face masks and enforced health protocols after reported cases of mpox.

Both local governments posted their executive orders on the health requirements on Thursday, May 29.

Davao del Sur issued the order in light of a confirmed case of mpox in Magsaysay town.

Meanwhile, the Compostela government made the directive as “there are already reported confirmed and suspected cases of [mpox] in neighboring provinces within Region XI (Davao), highlighting the urgent need for heightened preventive actions across nearby localities.”

The order required wearing of face masks in indoor public and enclosed spaces, crowded outdoor areas, and health care facilities, as well as when caring for or interacting with suspected or confirmed infections.

In addition, “physical distancing of at least one meter in public and communal areas” shall be “strictly observed.”

Other public health measures include frequent handwashing, proper cough and sneeze etiquette, ensuring of adequate ventilation in enclosed spaces, immediate reporting and isolation of those with mpox symptoms, and disinfection of frequently-touched surfaces.

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In April, the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed two mpox infections in Davao City, including one “severely immunocompromised” patient whose death may not have been directly caused by the viral illness.

Recently, Mindanao areas such as South Cotabato, Zamboanga Sibugay, and Bangsamoro localities have reported mpox cases.

Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is a viral infection that causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions.

The virus usually spreads through close, intimate skin-to-skin contact, including sexual contact. It’s not airborne.

The mask mandate and other health measures within the executive orders of Davao areas were almost the same during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last year, Health Secretary Ted Herbosa stressed that frequent and proper handwashing was more recommended to prevent the spread of mpox, rejecting suggestions of border controls, quarantine facilities, and mask mandates.

“Soap and water can kill the virus,” Herbosa previously said.

“Mpox is treated with supportive care,” The DOH earlier said. “Patients with no other illnesses may stay at home after testing, until all scabs fall off and a new layer of skin forms, typically after 2-4 weeks.”

In August 2024, the Philippines confirmed another case as the World Health Organization declared a public health emergency of international concern for mpox amid Africa’s outbreak of Clade Ib.

There were 52 infections, including one death, last year involving the milder strain Clade II, according to the DOH.