The Department of Health sees no reason to delay the opening of classes on August 22 amid the threat of the monkeypox disease.
Health OIC Ma. Rosario Vergeire says they have put safeguards to ensure the safety of children returning to school.
“Ang isa sa pinaka-importante, we will be working with the Department of Education on this, would be the screening of children and teachers when they go to school,” Vergeire said.
“Walang papasok dapat sa eskwela na may mga sintomas o ‘di kaya kung meron nang mga lesions, makita na natin agad,” she added.
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The Education Department said that 13,152,065 learners have registered for the upcoming academic year.
The DOH detected the first case of monkeypox to a 31-year old Filipino national who arrived from abroad last July 19.
“The case has been discharged, and is in strict isolation,” the DOH said in a statement.
DOH-OIC spokesperson Beverly Ho said that the case had prior travel to countries with documented monkeypox cases.
The case was confirmed to be a carrier of monkeypox via RT-PCR on July 28.
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“Case already discharged and “undergoing strict isolation and monitoring at home,” Ho said.
At least 10 closed contacts have been identified and are now undergoing quarantine.
So far the closed contacts have not exhibited symptoms that usually manifest for monkeypox.
Ho says investigation on recent monkeypox cases indicate that it is transmitted sexually and spreads mostly through intimate contact with those who have rashes or open lesions and not through air
