ILOILO City – The Department of Health (DOH) in Western Visayas has categorically denied social media rumors claiming that a lockdown has been imposed due to rising mpox cases in the Visayas and Mindanao, warning the public against misinformation.
On June 3, DOH Region 6 issued a public advisory in Hiligaynon, reiterating the central office’s stance that viral posts about an alleged lockdown are fake news designed to mislead and cause panic.
The department emphasized that no lockdown is being implemented anywhere in the Philippines, including Western Visayas.
“Be vigilant against fake Facebook pages spreading misinformation or fake news about mpox. No lockdown has been implemented in any part of the Philippines,” DOH-6 stated in its advisory.
To date, five confirmed mpox cases have been reported in Region 6 — four in Iloilo City and one in the province of Iloilo. The provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, and Negros Occidental remain free of confirmed cases.
Mpox, is a viral zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus. It is not airborne and spreads mainly through close, prolonged physical contact with an infected person’s skin lesions, body fluids, or contaminated objects like clothing or bedding. It can also be transmitted through respiratory droplets during extended face-to-face interaction.
The infection typically begins with flu-like symptoms such as fever, headaches, and swollen lymph nodes, followed by the appearance of a distinct rash that progresses through several stages before scabbing over and healing.
DOH-6 further clarified that the strain currently affecting patients in the Philippines is Clade II, which has a lower mortality rate — about one in 10 —compared to Clade I-b, which can result in death in four to five out of 10 cases. They also noted that mpox is not airborne, further debunking any justification for a lockdown.
“There is no need for lockdown because mpox is not airborne,” the DOH-6 clarified, adding that the circulating posts contain false endorsements, doctored health advisories, and misleading claims likely used as clickbait or for other marketing strategies.
The agency advised the public to follow only official sources, particularly the DOH’s verified Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/DOHgovPH), for accurate and timely health information.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is now investigating the origins of the fake content to hold those behind the disinformation accountable.
Last week, Iloilo City’s Mayor Jerry Treñas also denounced a viral Facebook post falsely declaring the city under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) due to a supposed “Monkeypox Disease 2025 (MPOX 25)” outbreak. The post used a recycled design from a 2020 COVID-19 advisory.
“This is clearly disinformation. The Facebook artwork in question was originally released during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and has been repurposed to mislead the public,” said Joy Fantilaga-Gorzal, spokesperson for Mayor Treñas, in a statement released March 31./PN
