The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday clarified it is not recommending any particular sexual methodology as the number of active mpox cases rose to 14 in the Philippines.
This is in response to reports stating the Health Department is recommending virtual sex activities due to mpox.
“The DOH does not endorse any methodology of sex. They are free to do whatever they want,” Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said.
He added the recommendation did not come from the DOH, while clarifying it was in the context of couples or partners in which one of them tests positive for mpox.
“It came from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). When I read the original document, it is in the whole document that states what people should do if their partners are positive. So it is not a general recommendation to the public,” Herbosa explained in a mix of English and Filipino.
The Health Department added it is collaborating with key people and influencers in order to spread awareness and recommendations to communities regarding mpox.
Meanwhile, The Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 14 new cases of Mpox on Monday.
Herbosa assured the public that the cases are controlled by the department and does not require for implementation of community quarantine or border controls.
All fourteen (14) active cases are Mpox Clade II, recovering at home, according to the DOH.
Overall, there are 23 total cases of Mpox recorded in the country which includes a 12 year old and 1 woman health worker. The first 9 cases have fully recovered, there are zero total fatalities in all of the cases recorded.
Herbosa also said that the number of cases are expected to grow as the department expands testing, but stressed that the numbers do not call for mass panic.
“You just will scare the people because it (the cases) will rise. Why, because we are testing and its a good thing because that means we are able to locate and control its spread,” he added.
Mpox Clade II is the milder variant of Mpox. Unlike COVID-19 which is airborne, Mpox Clade II is transmitted by close and intimate, skin-to-skin contact and through objects touched by patients with active skin lesions. Moreover, DOH stated that it does not spread as fast and as wide as COVID-19. Covering one’s skin in crowded areas, and washing hands often with soap and water will kill the virus.
The department also explained that Mpox is a self limiting virus which heals and cures overtime with proper care and treatment.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “DOH doesn’t ‘endorse any methodology of sex’ amid mpox cases.”
