ILOILO City – As of Feb. 2, this city’s cumulative cases of hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) reached 139.
Of these, 95 already recovered and 44 were still active cases, either observing home isolation or confined in health centers or hospitals.
HFMD is characterized by painful sores in the mouth and a rash on the hands and feet. Commonly caused by the coxsackievirus, this contagious infection occurs mostly in children.
Here is the breakdown of the 139 cases: Arevalo (64), Mandurriao (51), Molo (10), La Paz (one), Jaro I (two), Tanza (three), Sto. Rosario (five), Jaro II (one), and Lapuz (two).
The aggregate of cases per age group:
* less than one year old – 16 cases
* one to 10 years old – 118 cases
* 11 to 20 years old – three cases
* 21 to 30 years old – one case
* 51 to 50 years old – one case
Dr. Roland Jay Fortuna, City Health Office’s (CHO) assistant health officer, urged parents to bring their children to the nearest health centers for proper treatment of HFMD.
He said the most common signs and symptoms of HFMD are fever and rashes on the hands, feet and mouth.
To prevent its spread, Fortuna recommended frequent hand washing, regular disinfection of children’s toys and commonly touched areas, and not poking or touching the blister of an infected patient.
“Sa subong nagsugod na ang face-to-face classes, puede nga diri… So, gina-advise-san ang parents nga kon may makita nga symptoms sa bata ipa-iway ang pagkadto sa school para indi maglapta,” Fortuna also said.
For their part, all district health centers will strengthen their monitoring of this infectious disease.
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/PN
