The Bureau of Quarantine at Ninoy Aquino International Airport is now requiring arriving and departing travelers to declare if they have experienced rashes, vesicles, or blisters in the past month in order to prevent the entry of more mpox cases in the Philippines.
The Department of Health made a minor change to screening questions for travelers in the electronic travel (eTravel) form, which should be completed before arriving or departing airports.
Passengers departing from or arriving in the Philippines are required to check “yes or no” as to whether they have been sick in the past 30 days, experienced rashes, vesicles, or blisters.
As this developed, the Quezon City government recorded its first mpox case, bringing the total number of active cases to five.
The patient, a 37-year-old male and a resident of the city, is currently admitted at San Lazaro Hospital in Manila.
He started exhibiting symptoms on Aug. 16 and was admitted to the hospital six days later.
Based on the initial case investigation report of the Quezon City Health Department’s Epidemiology and Surveillance Division (QCESD), the patient had a recent local travel history.
“We are closely monitoring the condition of our resident. We have identified his 15 contacts and they are likewise being continuously monitored,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said in a news release.
Aside from the first mpox case of the city, the QCESD is also monitoring the contacts of the country’s first 2024 case who went to the Infinity Spa and Fahrenheit Café and Fitness Center.
Both establishments were ordered temporarily closed by the city government.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “NAIA requires mpox declaration for travelers in updated eTravel form.”
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