The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) and the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) have expressed concern about the mpox entering the country and have taken steps to identify potential cases at the airport.
MIAA General Manager Eric Ines stated they will support the BOQ with facilities, ambulances, and medical professionals as needed.
To prevent the entry of this lethal mpox variant, the Department of Health (DOH) announced last Thursday that the BOQ is now included in the electronic travel (eTravel) system. All incoming travelers, including Filipinos, must fill out this form before departing and arriving at NAIA and other major airports in the country.
Airport authorities reminded all international travelers to complete the eTravel form online before arrival. Filipino nationals are required to complete the form both before leaving the country and upon domestic arrival.
According to the DOH, travelers must answer "yes/no" if they have been sick in the past 30 days. Symptoms of mpox listed in the form include rashes, vesicles, or blisters, as well as fever, muscle pain, back pain, headache, fatigue, and swollen lymph nodes.
The BOQ also urged travelers to fill out their eTravel questionnaire honestly to provide accurate health information before arriving at airports.
If a traveler is from a World Health Organization (WHO)-designated outbreak area, has a history of exposure to an mpox case, or shows any signs or symptoms, the system will alert the Bureau of Immigration and the BOQ at the airport, directing the traveler to an accredited hospital for treatment.
The WHO reported that the highly contagious Clade 1b strain of the virus has been linked to hundreds of deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and Sweden.
Since 2022, the Philippines has reported 14 cases of mpox, five of which are currently active. The DOH stated that local cases are of the milder Clade 2 type.
Recently, the WHO chief called for an urgent meeting of an expert committee to advise on whether to declare an international emergency due to the spreading mpox outbreak in Africa.
A new virus strain identified in neighboring African countries is responsible for the recent surge in cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since September.