ILOILO – As of June 4, the number of hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) in this province reached 324 cases – 6,380 percent higher than the five cases recorded from January to June last year.
HFMD is characterized by sores in the mouth and a rash on the hands and feet. It is a common infection mostly in children, contagious and can be painful.
Here’s the breakdown of the 324 HFMD cases: San Dionisio (64), San Rafael (22), Concepcion (21), Banate (19), Leon (18), Pavia (17), San Joaquin (17), Cabatuan (14), Calinog (11), Dueñas (11), Ajuy (10), Igbaras, Zarraga, Barotac Viejo, and Miag-ao (nine cases each); New Lucena, Mina, and Pototan (eight cases each); Bingawan (seven cases); Passi City and Dingle (four cases each); Sara, Anilao, Janiuay, Tigbauan and Badiangan (three cases each); Santa Barbara, Lambunao, Barotac Nuevo, and Guimbal (two cases each); and Lemery and Tigbauan (one case each).
What are the HFMD dymptoms?
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
So far, there are no HFMD cases in the Iloilo towns of Alimodian, Balasan, Batad, Carles, Dumangas, Estancia, Leganes, Maasin, Oton, San Enrique, and San Miguel.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon urged people to be wary of HFMD.
She said there is no specific treatment yet on HFMD, thus people must be hygienic.
Practice frequent hand-washing, said Quiñon, and avoid close contact with people who are infected./PN
