By Liza Agoot

BASIC HEALTH PROTOCOLS. The Department of Health-Cordillera on Monday (Jan. 20, 2025) advises anew the public to continue observing basic health and safety protocols put in place during the Covid-19 pandemic. This, after Baguio City recorded its first mpox virus case, a 28-year-old male who has completed isolation and was declared cured on Jan. 17. (Photo courtesy of DOH-CAR)

BAGUIO CITY – The City Health Office here denied on Monday reports of a first mpox death.

In a press statement, City Health Officer Dr. Celia Flor Brillantes said the fatality was laid to rest in Baguio because he has relatives here.

“The reported monkey pox death, a 32-year-old male infected with the Clade II variant of the mpox virus, had not lived in the city for a long time even during the time he contracted and died of the disease,” Brillantes said.

The deceased contracted the virus while working in Manila, where he was hospitalized and died. 

“Brillantes said that based on surveillance protocol, the patient cannot be considered or counted as a Baguio case and the fatality had no connection to the 28-year-old patient, who was reported to be infected by Clade II type and had already recovered from the disease,” the city’s Public Information Office (PIO) said.

On Sunday, the Baguio-PIO said the 28-year-old male was the first mpox case of the city.

“His only direct contact is currently in isolation,” Brillantes told the Philippine News Agency Monday. (PNA)