Mpox: Cebu City rules out return of mandatory face masks

Meanwhile, in San Miguel, Bohol, a memorandum mandates face masks in public facilities as preventive measure against mpox

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Don’t reach for your face masks just yet.

Despite the emergence of suspected mpox cases, Cebu City is not recommending the return of mandatory face mask policies.

Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia said the city government had no plans to reimpose masking protocols, stressing that mpox — formerly known as monkeypox — was not an airborne disease.

“We are not recommending that as of now because, as they’ve said, it is not airborne—so what’s the use of wearing face masks at this point in time?” Garcia said in a press conference.

READ: Mpox not airborne, face masks may not be effective – experts

Garcia confirmed that four individuals showing symptoms of mpox are currently in hospital isolation in Cebu City. Their specimens have been submitted to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) for confirmatory testing.

“These are still suspected cases, not confirmed. There are four, and they are now isolated and have already been contact-traced,” he said. “There is no cause for public alarm.”

Garcia explained that the city’s response strategy would prioritize containment, surveillance, and preparedness.

He said these efforts have been in place since last year in coordination with the Department of Health (DOH) and local hospitals.

“What’s important is not just the number of mpox cases but our response, especially our surveillance, which we’ve already been doing since last year,” he added.

READ: Mpox or monkeypox explained: Causes, symptoms, how it spreads

Precautionary stance

While Cebu City maintains a calm and measured approach, other local governments in the region are taking a more precautionary stance.

In San Miguel, Bohol, the municipal government has issued a May 30 memorandum mandating the wearing of face masks in government offices, barangay halls, schools, and other public facilities as a preventive measure against mpox.

“In light of the confirmed mpox cases in nearby provinces, the Municipality of San Miguel is implementing proactive health protocols to safeguard the well-being of our constituents,” the memorandum read.

Signed by the municipal mayor, the order invokes Section 16 of the Local Government Code (Republic Act No. 7160), which allows local governments to act for the general welfare of their constituents. It instructs department heads, barangay officials, school administrators, and uniformed personnel to enforce face mask use and monitor the arrival of individuals in their jurisdictions.

READ: Amid hike in demand, DOH says face masks ineffective vs mpox  

6 mpox cases

Meanwhile, in Central Visayas, the DOH has confirmed six mpox cases between March and April, including one fatality in Talisay City.

Dr. Joshua Brillantes, DOH-7 regional director, said five of the six patients had since recovered. The one who died, he noted, had pre-existing medical conditions.

“The fatality in Talisay City was a confirmed case, but the death was not directly caused by mpox. He had comorbidities and a weakened immune system, which contributed to the complications,” Brillantes said.

All confirmed cases involved males aged 40 and below.

At the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), isolation wards previously used during the COVID-19 pandemic have been reactivated to accommodate patients requiring hospitalization due to severe mpox symptoms.

Dr. Marileo Fidel Pataray, assistant chief of the hospital’s General Clinical Services Division, said the hospital was fully equipped to manage infectious diseases like mpox.

“Any mpox-related admission will not go through the emergency room but will be directed straight to the isolation facility to reduce exposure risks,” Pataray said.

He added that while most mpox cases were manageable through supportive care, patients with underlying conditions such as hypertension or diabetes might require hospitalization.

“The disease itself is curable. Most patients only require supportive management to strengthen their immune system and address symptoms like fever, fatigue, and rashes,” he said.

Community transmission ‘limited’

Back in Cebu City, Garcia emphasized that community transmission appeared limited and the city’s health infrastructure was ready to respond.

“You know, sometimes we think these are really isolated cases. Maybe this disease is not that highly transmissible,” he said.

The city, however, has not yet extended aid such as relief goods to those under isolation, with current efforts focused on health services and monitoring.

“For now, our focus is on health-related responses like isolation and monitoring. We’re not yet at the stage of distributing relief goods,” Garcia said.

While responses may vary across local governments, Cebu City officials reiterated that there was no need to panic, but there would be a need to remain vigilant.

“We are prepared. Our hospitals are prepared. And our response systems are in place,” Garcia said.

TAGS: Cebu City, mpox