The Negros Occidental Provincial Health Office (PHO) has directed health facilities, hospitals and local government units in the province to prioritize patients with skin lesions or rashes, as a precautionary measure amid confirmed monkeypox (mpox) cases in other parts of the country, including neighboring Iloilo province.

PHO head Dr. Girlie Pinongan said the directive follows the guidelines issued by the Department of Health in the Negros Island Region, emphasizing early detection and management of possible mpox cases.

Meanwhile, Pinongan revealed that two patients in the province are currently under investigation due to skin rashes.

This includes a one-year-old child from Pontevedra town who was taken to Don Salvador Benedicto Memorial District Hospital in La Carlota City after developing rashes on the neck.

The other is a bus driver who was brought to Tabugon Hospital in Kabankalan City for a skin condition he has reportedly been suffering from for over a month.

Based on initial assessments and images reviewed by hospital chiefs, Pinongan said the symptoms do not appear to match typical mpox presentations.

However, she clarified that patients cannot yet be declared mpox-negative until proper specimen collection and laboratory testing have been conducted.

The PHO continues to monitor the situation closely and advises the public to remain vigilant and observe proper hygiene and health protocols./WDJ