KALIBO—The Provincial Health Office has officially placed Aklan under a heightened alert category amid cases of Mpox recorded in the country.
Dr. Leslie Ann Sedillo, Provincial Health Officer II, said in a press conference Thursday afternoon the alert signal was raised in coordination with Aklan Governor Jose Enrique Miraflores.
Sedillo said Aklan province is being vigilant, especially as it hosts Boracay Island, a famous tourism destination.
“Currently, we see no need to mandate our tourists bound to Boracay to sign any health declaration cards, although these are already being practiced by several international airlines. What we are activating is that we will be asking hotels in Boracay to again come up with their respective isolation facilities in case somebody shows up having signs of Mpox,” she said.
The PHO is duplicating its best practices against COVID-19 to combat the possible entry of Mpox.
The Department of Health-Western Visayas earlier said there is already a confirmed case in nearby Iloilo province while four others remain under observation.
Sedillo said they will also hold simultaneous meetings with stakeholders in Boracay as well as with the Department of Education ahead of the June 16 school opening.
“We want teachers to also be vigilant on what to do in case a student manifests signs of Mpox,” added Sedillo.
According to the Department of Health, common symptoms include rashes or lesions lasting two to four weeks, with fever, muscle pain, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and headache. Also, direct transmission may occur via skin or mucosal lesions, respiratory droplets, or intimate physical contact.
