Davao City Confirms 6 Mpox Cases

THE City Health Office (CHO) confirmed six cases of monkeypox (mpox) in Davao City as of May 2025. Of the number four are active but in stable condition, one has recovered, and one died due to complications not related to mpox.

Dr. Sofia Corazon D. Zafra, CHO emerging and re-emerging infectious disease medical coordinator, said they are monitoring the active cases, and close contacts are also under close monitoring.

“Stable naman po sila, dili man critical sila. Padayun lang gihapon ta naga-monitor sa ilaha (They are stable and not in critical condition. We are continuously monitoring them),” she said during a radio interview on Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on Friday, May 30, 2025. 

Zafra said that close contacts would not be isolated as per the Department of Health (DOH) memorandum issued in 2024. She added they would not be quarantined but would only be monitored. 

She explained that if close contacts show no signs or symptoms after three to four weeks of monitoring, then they are cleared of Mpox.

She also said that their office is monitoring the close contacts daily and that they have not shown any symptoms.

Zafra encouraged Dabawenyos not to panic and to practice minimum health protocols, as well as to avoid close contact with people showing symptoms of mpox. She advised people to wash their hands properly and avoid touching anything in public spaces.

Although wearing face masks is part of the minimum health protocols, it is not a guarantee that it would prevent transmission as mpox’s mode of transmission is through close contact such as hugging, kissing, intimate contact, and skin-to-skin contact.

She also clarified that wearing face masks is not mandatory, unlike during the Covid-19 pandemic, where the mode of transmission was through droplets from coughing and sneezing. 

However, since it is flu season, she still advises people to wear masks, particularly in enclosed spaces.

“With regards to mpox dili gyud siya isa sa atoang primary prevention pero kay naa man sad tay flu pwede na pud siya iapil (With regards to mpox, [face masks] are not one of our primary prevention methods, but since we also have flu, we can still include it),” she said. 

Zafra then said that CHO and DOH have not released a memorandum requiring the public to wear face masks.

Earlier, the Province of Davao del Sur and the Municipality of Compostela in Davao de Oro required residents to wear face masks amid rising cases of mpox.

The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that mpox is an infectious disease caused by the mpox virus. Common symptoms include fever, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and a gradually spreading rash from the face to other parts of the body. 

There are two distinct clades of the virus: Clade I and Clade II.

Zafra said that in the Philippines, the mpox cases are of Clade II, which is less deadly than Clade I.

CHO also urged the public to seek medical check-ups at the nearest health center if they are experiencing symptoms of mpox.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ricardo Audan, medical center chief of the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), said that they have seven patients suspected of having mpox. Of the seven patients, three have been confirmed positive for the virus based on testing at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Manila.

Audan said that they still have one repeat collection and three others scheduled for collection for confirmation at the RITM.

“Ang mpox dili ing-ana ka grabe as compared to Covid-19 before, kana lang we have anti-viral drugs sa mpox na available sa SPMC (Mpox is not as severe as compared to Covid-19 before, and we have antiviral drugs for mpox),” he said.

He then clarified that of the seven patients, four are from Davao City in correlation with the four reported by CHO, two are from Davao del Sur, and the remaining one was not disclosed.

Since April 10, 2025, they have recorded 14 patients with mpox at the hospital, and seven have already been discharged. RGP