Baguio City records 1st mpox case

BAGUIO CITY —  Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong issued an alert Saturday night after public health officials confirmed the city’s first case of mpox.

While advising the public to observe health precautions, Magalong reassured everyone that "there is no cause for panic or a lockdown." 

The mayor, who previously served as the contact tracing czar during the COVID-19 pandemic, advised the public to exercise caution and follow standard health protocols, including wearing face masks, maintaining physical distancing, practicing hand hygiene, and ensuring proper ventilation.

The Baguio City Health Services Office, led by City Health Officer physician Celia Flor Brillantes, confirmed that the first case in the city involves a 28-year-old male. His infection was caused by the less severe Clade II mpox virus, rather than the more deadly Clade I.

Mpox is a viral disease often characterized by rashes or blisters.

The patient had completed isolation and was cured on Jan. 17, 2025.

The Department of Health (DOH) said the mpox virus can be transmitted through direct human-to-human contact, including "talking, breathing, kissing, touching, hugging, sexual intercourse, or exposure to respiratory secretions. It can also spread indirectly through contaminated bedding, clothing, linens, or other objects."

Symptoms include skin rash or mucosal lesions, fever, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, muscle aches, back pain, headache and fatigue.

To prevent infection, health protocols should be followed, such as covering the mouth when coughing or sneezing, avoiding skin-to-skin contact, staying away from crowded areas, washing hands frequently, and ensuring good airflow.

Those experiencing symptoms should seek immediate medical consultation, according to public health officials