Mpox is “easier” to contain even without vaccines compared to airborne diseases such as measles or Covid-19, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

In a media forum on Monday, DOH Secretary Ted Herbosa said what’s more important is early detection and isolation.

“Nakikita niyo napakadaling i-control ng mpox (As we can see it’s very easy to control mpox). I don’t need a vaccine to control it,” Herbosa said.

“With good public health, yung tinatawag nating prevention, detection, isolation, nepe-prevent yung pagkalat niya unlike yung sakin na measles, Covid-19 kailangan mo talaga makuha yung bakuna (With good public health, through what we call prevention, detection, and isolation we can prevent its spread unlike measles and Covid-19 where they both need vaccination),” he explained.

The Health chief said he already made a request to the World Health Organization to donate at least 2,500 mpox vaccines to the Philippines once the supply stablizes.

“Kung mayroon man tayong mga mangangailangan, at least available (In case someone will need it, at least we have a vaccine available),” he added.

Herbosa said the Philippines is expected to get the vaccines “in the following months,” but maintained that the country “is not a priority” as the bulk of mpox vaccines are currently being given to the Democratic Republic of Congo to contain the mpox epidemic there.

“Kahit di pa dumating yung bakuna na yan, kayang-kaya natin ma-control yung mpox (Even if the vaccines do not arrive right now, we can control mpox),” he assured.

The DOH has recorded additional mpox cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 18 since August. Of which, five have already recovered.

“Eleven na lang po ang nasa home isolation (Only 11 are currently in home isolation),” he said.

Cases 15 and 16 are from Calabarzon, while cases 17 and 18 are from Metro Manila.

“Ang maganda dito yung lahat nung 18 natin, walang nahawang iba kasi binantayan natin yung contacts nila. So talagang mababa natin yung transmitability nito (What’s good news is that all 18 cases didn’t infect anyone because we monitored their contacts. Transmitability is really low),” he added.

Aside from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, East Avenue Medical Center is also conducting mpox PCT testing,

The following other subnational laboratories, which will also be doing mpox testing, are currently undergoing training for re-activation: Baguio Gen Hospital, Lung Center of the Philippines, San Lazaro Hospital, Vicente Sotto Medical Center, Southern Philippine Medical Center, Western Visayas Medical Center, and Bicol Medical Center.