Belmonte: Cooperate with mpox contact tracers

MANILA, Philippines — Amid the rising cases of mpox in the country, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has reminded business establishments to cooperate with the city’s contact tracers.

Over the weekend, the local government confirmed that one of the mpox cases detected by the Department of Health (DOH) is a Quezon City resident.

“Since the detection of the first mpox case this year, the city government has activated its prevention, control and response protocols,” Belmonte said.

“All health care workers in the city underwent orientation in reporting and handling mpox cases,” she added.

Belmonte also issued an executive order creating a task force on mpox, which aims to streamline and strengthen the city’s response to the viral illness.

Last month, the local government shut down two establishments, including a club that refused to allow the city’s contact tracing team to conduct investigation in the area.

“We consider the refusal to participate in our contact tracing efforts a threat to the health and well-being of our QCitizens,” Belmonte said.

“Our response and investigation are prompt, but we got delayed due to the lack of cooperation,” she added.

The DOH on Sunday confirmed three more mpox cases, bringing the total count to 17.

The eight patients who tested positive for mpox are tagged as active cases.

The city government earlier said that the 11th mpox case, which was among those announced by the DOH on Aug. 26, is a Quezon City resident with a local travel history.

Belmonte said 15 people identified as close contacts of the 37-year-old male patient were closely monitored.

The patient, who started exhibiting mpox symptoms on Aug. 16, remains confined at the San Lazaro Hospital.

The local government said it is also monitoring the close contacts of the 10th mpox case, a non-resident of Quezon City who visited a spa in the city before testing positive for the disease.