Quezon City sees sixth mpox case tied to entertainment hub

MANILA, Philippines — A new case of mpox was reported in Quezon City on Wednesday, November 6, bringing the total number of cases in the city to six.

The Quezon City Government confirmed that the latest case involved a 31-year-old male resident who first showed symptoms of mpox on October 18. 

On October 31, the Health Department’s City Epidemiology and Surveillance Division (CESD) released the test results, confirming the diagnosis.

What is mpox? Mpox is a viral disease that can be transmitted through close physical or sexual contact with an infected person, animal, or contaminated object.

Symptoms include fever, headache, sore throat, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, muscle aches and rashes.

The Department of Health had previously assured the public that mpox is manageable compared to the COVID-19. It advised the public to practice hand washing and mask wearing. 

Six cases from the same establishment

The latest case in Quezon City is also the sixth mpox patient known to have visited the Fahrenheit Club (F Club), an entertainment hub for gay men and bisexuals.

According to the CESD’s investigation report, the 31-year-old male had visited the F Club on October 5.

This has led the Quezon City Government to suspect the entertainment hub as a “potential source of exposure” for the confirmed mpox cases.

However, this is not the first time the F Club has been flagged for health-related issues. 

On August 24, the city's Business Permits and Licensing Department (BPLD) issued a cease and desist order for the club's failure to comply with contact tracing measures and cooperate with relevant authorities.

The F Club also violated Republic Act 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Concern Act. 

A cease and desist order requires the establishment to temporarily halt operations until a court or government agency decides on its permanent closure.

After a month since the cease and desist order, the club received on September 27 a compliance order to adhere to local and national laws. 

However, the local government remains skeptical, as the BPLD recently received a new business application for “F.I.N.E Wellness Bar and F.I.N.E Spa,” which used the same address and facilities as the F Club.

“In the interest of public health, we are serving the closure order to F Club and this FINE Wellness Bar and Spa,” Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said in a statement.

Belmonte also warned the entertainment hub that the city government will not allow it to operate, even if it changes its business name, unless it complies with the city's laws, ordinances, and regulations.

“We will not allow more QCitizens to be put at risk. Ensuring the safety and well-being of our QCitizens remains our primordial duty,” she said in a mix of English and Filipino.

In response, the Quezon City Government will hold a forum in November for spas, wellness and entertainment establishments to explain the necessary permits and documentation for their operations.
As of October 10, the World Health Organization has recorded a total of 24 mpox cases in the Philippines.