The municipal government of Padre Burgos has put in place proactive measures to deter the possible presence of the monkeypox or mpox virus. 

Mayor Hermenegildo Culpa on May 30 called for an inter-agency coordination meeting to draft preparedness actions.

The emergency meeting was prompted by a report, which went viral on social media, stating that a 55-year-old female resident of Maasin City was suspected as having manifested signs of the Mpox virus. 

Among the key points raised during the meeting in Padre Burgos was to strengthen public order and safety, with emphasis on the town’s port area. 

Officials of the six barangays became the first batch to undergo a contingency planning workshop, as Health Officer Kesha Batalon shared inputs on some features of the mpox virus. 

These barangays are Sta. Sofia, Poblacion, Tangkaan, Cantutang, Dinahugan, and San Juan. 

The municipality of Padre Burgos, noted for its dive shops, remains free from any suspected or confirmed mpox cases. 

According to the Department of Health (DOH), common symptoms of mpox are a skin rash or mucosal lesions that can last from 2 to 4 weeks.  The rashes are accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes. 

Monkeypox can be transmitted to humans through close, intimate contact with someone who was infected, or through sharing contaminated materials and utensils. 

Proper hygiene practices such as washing with soap and water can kill the virus, the DOH said. (MMP/PIA Southern Leyte with reports from Dahlia Abiera Orit/Radyo Pilipinas Sogod)