Ben Madilynn
THE Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) said that they prepared about 20 beds in their isolation facility amid the rise of Monkeypox (mpox) cases.
Dr. Ricardo Audan, medical center chief of SPMC, said that if the number of beds fall short, they still have extra beds available should there be an increase in mpox cases.
“Andam ang SPMC on this kind of virus o sakit just like Covid. Andam always ang SPMC (SPMC is ready for this kind of virus or disease just like Covid. SPMC is always ready),” he said in a radio interview on GMA Super Radio Davao, on Friday, May 30, 2025.
Audan also expressed surprise over the decision of neighboring provinces, cities, and municipalities to mandate face masks. He said there is no need to declare the mandatory wearing of face masks since mpox is not airborne like Covid-19.
He explained that mpox can be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact and droplets, especially if a person shows respiratory or flu-like symptoms.
Audan encouraged people to practice proper handwashing, avoid crowded places, and wear face masks if avoiding crowds is not possible.
He urged the public not to panic, as mpox is generally mild compared to Covid-19.
Meanwhile, Audan confirmed that they have seven suspected mpox patients.
Of those, three have been confirmed positive for the virus based on testing conducted by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).
Audan added that they are still awaiting one repeat sample collection and have three more patients scheduled for sample collection for confirmation at RITM.
He clarified that among the seven patients, four are from Davao City corresponding with the four cases reported by the City Health Office (CHO), two are from Davao del Sur, and the remaining one patient’s location was not disclosed.
Since April 10, 2025, they have recorded 14 patients with mpox at the hospital and that seven have already been discharged.
Meanwhile, the City Health Office (CHO) confirmed six cases of mpox in Davao City as of May 2025. Of those number, four are currently active but in stable condition, one patient has recovered, and one has died due to complications not related to mpox.
The World Health Organization (WHO) states 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. RGP
Source: SPMC Allots 20 Beds for Mpox Isolation
