Press Release - Gatchalian urges schools to implement safety measures amidst mpox scare

Senator Win Gatchalian is urging the country's basic education institutions to implement health and safety measures following the detection of the first mpox (formerly monkeypox) case in the Philippines this year.

The case reported on August 18 to the Department of Health (DOH) is the tenth laboratory-confirmed mpox in the country since last year. According to the DOH, the case involves a 33-year-old male Filipino national with no travel history outside the Philippines.

While the risk of children and adolescents getting mpox is low according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Gatchalian said that schools should help spread awareness and actively promote safety measures, including regular handwashing and the disinfection of classrooms and other spaces.

"Patuloy nating dapat isulong ang mga hakbang upang mapanatili ang kalinisan at kaligtasan sa ating mga paaralan at sa buong bansa, lalo na't ang unang kaso ng mpox ngayong taon ay napatunayang hindi lumabas ng bansa, at nangangahulugang nandito lang ang virus," Gatchalian said.

The World Health Organization recently declared the mpox outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The DOH, however, emphasized that all previous cases were isolated, cared for, and have since recovered.

Meanwhile, Gatchalian is also pushing for the passage of the Philippine Center for Disease Prevention and Control Act (Senate Bill No. 1869), a bill he co-authored. The proposed measure seeks to create the Philippine Center for Disease Prevention and Control, which will serve as the technical authority on forecasting, analysis, strategy, and standards development for the prevention and control of all diseases of public health importance and health security events.

Gatchalian pinag-iingat ang mga paaralan sa gitna ng pangamba sa mpox

Kasunod ng pagkakaulat ng unang kaso ng mpox (dating monkeypox) sa bansa ngayong taon, hinimok ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang mga paaralan sa bansa na magpatupad ng mga hakbang upang itaguyod ang kalusugan at kaligtasan ng mga guro at mag-aaral.

Ang kasong naiulat noong Agosto 18 a Department of Health (DOH) ang pang-sampung kumpirmadong kaso ng mpox simula noong