PHAPI advises that suspected monkeypox cases be brought to hospitals for isolation, treatment

Suspected monkeypox cases should be brought to isolation facilities in hospitals for proper observation and treatment as much as possible, the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PHAPI) said on Saturday.

"Hindi po puwedeng sa bahay iyan pagka talaga pong suspect [monkeypox case]. Suspek po ng monkeypox ay kailangang i-isolate siya sa isang area," PHAPI president Dr. Jose Rene de Grano said in an interview on Dobol B TV.

(Monkeypox cases should be isolated in one area and not be under home isolation.)

"Kung talagang monkeypox 'yan, kung maaari, huwag munang iano sa bahay at baka mas dumami po," he added.

(If that is really monkeypox, if possible, don't go for home isolation as this may lead to a rise in cases.)

De Grano made the comment after he was asked about the first monkeypox case reported in the country as announced by the Department of Health (DOH) on Friday.

The patient arrived from abroad on July 19. DOH Undersecretary Dr. Beverly Ho said the patient had prior travel to countries with monkeypox cases, and was only tested for monkeypox on Thursday, July 28.

"The case has been discharged well and is undergoing strict isolation and monitoring at home," Ho said, adding that the DOH has recorded 10 close contacts of the patient.

Ho said three of the 10 close contacts were in the same household as the patient. The close contacts have not manifested any symptoms yet, she said.

De Grano said suspected cases may be brought to hospitals because these have isolation areas.

"Yes po kasi ang mga ospital maraming may mga isolation areas po yan. Miski mga COVID areas hindi naman 'yan isang ward. May kanya-kanyang room 'yan, separate na mga isolation areas," he said.

(Hospitals have many isolation areas. Even COVID areas are not just one ward. Patients have their own rooms, separate isolation areas.)

"Pero 'pag ganitong klase na — medyo bago kasi ito — gusto nating matiyak na talagang monkeypox ba talaga ito and then kailangang i-isolate natin nang sa gayun ay maibigay natin ang proper treatment," De Grano said.

(But with monkeypox, since this is new, we want to be sure that this is really monkeypox. And so we need to isolate the suspected cases and give proper treatment.)

He added that suspected monkeypox cases will be isolated from each other and from those with COVID-19.

"Separate po yan. Kahit pare-parehong COVID yan, may kanya-kanyang room ''yan usually," he said.

(The monkeypox cases will be separated from each other and those with COVID-19. Even with COVID-19, patients usually have their own rooms.)

Hospitals ready

The PHAPI official said private hospitals are ready should there be additional monkeypox cases that will be detected in the country.

"Opo. May mga advisory na na inilabas na ang Department of Health at 'yun ang sinusunod ng ating mga ospital," he said.

(Yes [private hospitals are ready]. The Department of Health has already issued advisories and these are what hospitals follow.)

"Ang sabi naman ng ating Department of Health, pareho lang ang paghahandang ginagawa natin katulad ng mga paghahanda natin sa COVID-19," De Grano added.

(The Department of Health said the preparations needed are the same as those for COVID-19.)

"Kasi gunun din naman halos ang gagawin, i-a-isolate natin kung sakali tayong mayroon suspect na merong ganitong sintomas," he said.

(The protocol is almost the same. We will isolate suspected cases showing these symptoms.)

"And then of course ire-report agad 'yan sa Department of Health or local government unit nang sa gayun po ay ma-isolate at mabigyan ng kaukulang pagsusuri kung iyon ay talagang monkeypox," he said.

(And then of course this will be reported immediately to the Department of Health or local government unit so the patient will be isolated and given the proper treatment if it is really monkeypox.)

"Kapareho lang ang protocol niyan kasi nga po halos pareho lang ang sintomas yung pinipresent nila dahil ganun po," he explained.

(The protocol is the same because the symptoms presented are almost the same.)

De Grano said those with additional symptoms such as rashes and swollen lymph nodes may be tested for monkeypox.

"May ibang mga sintomas 'yan. May mga rashes 'yan at may mga kulani, ganu'n. Pero 'yung ibang mga sintomas like fever, pagsasakit ng katawan, para din 'yang flu, para ding COVID," he said.

(Monkeypox has other symptoms. These include rashes and swollen lymph nodes. But the other symptoms like fever and body pains are also symptoms of flu and COVID-19.)

"Pero halimbawa 'pag may nakitang rashes at kulani, medyo mataas na ang suspisyon pag ganu'n," De Grano added.

(But for example there are rashes and swollen lymph nodes [aside from the other symptoms], there is a higher degree of suspicion [that it could be monkeypox.])

"Kung talagang very high ang degree ng suspicion, itatawag agad ito ng private hospital kung doon siya nagpunta and then RITM lab talaga o mga ospital ng government ang siyang magpi-pickup na po niyan para mapag-aralan din kung tunay na sintomas yung mga yon," he explained.

(If there is a very high degree of suspicion, the private hospital, if that is where the patient was brought to, will call [the DOH]. And then the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine or government hospital will pick up to further determine if that is really a monkeypox case.)

Last month, the DOH said the RITM can text for monkeypox.

De Grano said those who need to be isolated in hospitals may be brought to government facilities to lessen the financial burden on the patients.

"Halimbawang na-test at sinabi na okay, positive ka sa ganyan, puwede naman 'yang i-refer sa government facility nang sa gayon ay hindi magagastusan ang pasyente. Siyempre 'pag sa private, malaki ang magagastos," he said.

(For example, a patient was tested and he/she was told that okay, you tested positive [for monkeypox], the patient can be referred to a government facility so the expenses may be subsidized [by the government]. In private hospitals, hospitalization costs may be expensive.)

Treatment

De Grano said since there is no available treatment for monkeypox yet in the country, patients testing positive will be treated according to their symptoms.

"Supportive lang talaga 'yan, kung ano lang kailangan niya. Kung kailangan suwerohan, susuwerohan. Kung may lagnat, para sa lagnat... Pagsasakit ng katawan, ganun  po, kung ano ang ano [kailangan]," he said.

(The treatment will be supportive, based on what the patient needs. If the patient needs to be given dextrose, he/she will be given one. If the patient has fever, he/she will be given medicine for fever. If he/she has body pains, then he/she will be given medicine for that.)

"Kasi wala pa tayong, may sinabi silang treatment sa ibang bansa. Pero wala po, hindi available sa atin," de Grano said.

(This is because we don't have the treatment for monkeypox yet that is available in other countries.) —KG, GMA News