ILOILO – Since Jan. 1 of this year, 57 suspected cases of hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) have been reported.
HFMD is a common infection in children that causes sores called ulcers inside or around the mouth and rashes or blisters on the hands, feet, legs, or buttocks. It is contagious and can be painful.
The 57 cases were a 1,325 percent increase from the four HFMD cases recorded from January to March 2021, data from the Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO) showed.
“Naga-amat -amat or nagataas gid ang aton HFMD cases sa probinsya,” said Ma. Jennifer Joy Oñate, health education promotion officer II of the IPHO.
What causes HFMD?
“Usually mahampang sila (children) mabutang nila ang ila kamot sa duta. Waay gali nabal-an nga higku ato,” said Oñate.
The most common cause of hand-foot-and-mouth disease is infection with the coxsackievirus A16.
What are the symptoms?
HFMD may cause all of the following signs and symptoms or just some of them:
* fever
* sore throat
* feeling unwell
* painful, red, blister-like lesions on the tongue, gums and inside of the cheeks
* a red rash, without itching but sometimes with blistering, on the palms, soles and sometimes the buttocks
* irritability in infants and toddlers
* loss of appetite
“May red blister sia or tubi-tubi and once i-pop, puede man ikaw malatnan,” said Oñate.
She urged parents to make sure their children are frequently and properly washing their hands.
Here’s the breakdown of the 57 HFMD cases in Iloilo province: Concepcion (19), Pavia (10), Banate (six), Ajuy (five), Miag-ao (four), Calinog (three), Leon (three), Cabatuan (two), Pototan (one), Passi City (one), San Dionisio (one), Sara (one), and New Lucena (one).
“Halongan gid ang aton mga kabataan, ilabi na gid ang ila mga kamot. Always remember sang minimum health standards naton. Manghinaw gid sang soap and water, amo gid na ang pinaka-importante,” said Oñate.
Because HFMD is highly contagious, people with the illness should limit their exposure to others while they have active signs and symptoms.
Keep children with HFM D out of child care or school until fever is gone and mouth sores have healed. If you have the illness, stay home from work./PN
