The Philippines has intensified screening protocols for incoming and outgoing travelers amid the growing threat of mpox, previously known as monkeypox.
According to the Department of Health (DOH), travelers are now required to declare in their eTravel form if they have experienced rashes, vesicles, or blisters in the 30 days prior to their trip as part of the country’s surveillance efforts to prevent additional cases of mpox from entering the country.
The DOH emphasized the importance of travelers being honest when answering questions on the eTravel form, particularly regarding any illness experienced in the past 30 days.
Additionally, if a traveler arriving in the Philippines is flagged by the eTravel system as having come from a country listed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an outbreak area, or has a history of exposure to an mpox case or symptoms of the disease, the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) and Bureau of Immigration (BI) will be alerted.
The passenger will then be referred to the BOQ for further screening.
If the passenger is identified as a suspect case of mpox, they will be taken to a designated mpox referral hospital.
As of now, the Philippines has recorded a total of 14 mpox cases since July 2022. Nine of these cases have recovered since 2023, while five remain active and are currently being treated for symptoms.
The five active cases are positive for clade II, a milder strain of the mpox virus.
Mpox is a contagious disease caused by the smallpox virus, typically transmitted from animals like monkeys, rats, and dogs, or through close contact with an infected person.
Symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, rash, and blisters. A vaccine is currently available and effective in protecting against the mpox virus.