A health worker examines skin lesions that are characteristic of mpox on the back of a young child at the mpox treatment centre at the Nyiragongo General Referral Hospital, north of Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on  August 14, 2024. Guerchom Ndebo, WHO/file

MANILA — The Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday debunked conspiracy theories that the mpox virus is linked to COVID vaccines.

• DOH reports new mpox case with no travel history outside PH

COVID vaccines “continue to be safe and reliable,” DOH spokesperson Albert Domingo told lawmakers when asked about online posts blaming COVID vaccines for the mpox spread.

“Ito po ya hindi totoo. Ang mpox ay matagal nang nasa mundo. Noong 1958, may nakitang mga unggoy na mayroong mga blisters, mga pantal, mga butlig,” he said. 

“Noong 1970s, tumawid mula sa unggoy papunta sa tao… Hindi po siya galing sa any vaccine more especially sa mga COVID19 vaccine,” he said. 

Unlike the coronavirus, the MPox is not airborne, Domingo said. 

“Ang mpox ay [naipapasa via] close intimate physical contact, dikit dikit... Hindi siya makukuha kung hindi kami magdidikit dikit o hindi kami maghharap harapan,” he said. 

The DOH sees no need for “additional special procedures” in terms of travel restrictions to curb the spread of mpox at this point, Domingo said.

• WHO declares mpox a global health emergency

“Yung ating index of suspicion, kapag alam natin na may mga dumating sa lugar na hotspots, baka may kaunting questions,” he said.

“Pero hindi na namin nakikita ang pangangailangan sa travel restrictions dahil mayroon naman talaga dito sa atin,” he added.

Earlier this week, the Philippines reported its first case of mpox virus in 2024, noting that the 33-year old patient had no travel history outside the country.

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