Senator Francis Tolentino has urged the Department of Health (DOH) to take proactive steps in informing the public about Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) amid growing concerns about the virus and its spread.
In a radio interview, Health Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo dismissed as “fake news” social media posts claiming an HMPV outbreak in China.
Pending an official statement from the World Health Organization, the senator from Cavite said the DOH should ramp up its public information campaign and consider precautionary measures against a potential outbreak in the Philippines.
“It is important that our people get their information from the DOH and medical experts, rather than social media posts based on unreliable sources,” he said.
“The DOH must always be a step ahead in matters concerning public health in order to prevent the spread of wrong information, which sometimes can be as dangerous as a disease outbreak itself.”
To recall, Tolentino authored the Pandemic Handbook for Local Governments in 2020, during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.IMT
