The Department of Health (DOH) has denied circulating online claims suggesting that a lockdown is being implemented in the Philippines due to monkeypox (Mpox) cases. In an advisory released Saturday, the department emphasized that there is no need for a lockdown, clarifying that Mpox is not an airborne disease.
According to the DOH, while the number of Mpox cases reported earlier in 2024—particularly in April—was higher than those recorded in May, the recent attention is due largely to increased reporting efforts by local government units (LGUs), not a surge in infections.
“It just happened that the cases are now hogging the headlines because LGUs are more active in reporting their cases,” the DOH noted.
The agency also clarified that all confirmed cases so far have been of the milder Mpox Clade II variant, not the more dangerous Clade I-b strain. Mortality for Clade II is significantly lower, estimated at 1 in 10, compared to 4 in 5 for Clade I-b.
The DOH urged the public to rely only on official advisories shared through its verified social media accounts to avoid misinformation and unnecessary panic.