The province of Iloilo has reported a 382.8 percent surge in hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) from January 1 to August 9 from the same period last year.
According to Dr. Rodney Labis, chief of the Health Service Delivery Division, the Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit listed 1,685 HFMD cases with no fatalities, a sharp difference compared to the 349 cases recorded last year.
Among 43 towns, Passi City has reported the highest cases of the said disease, with 160 cases recorded, reflecting a 2,186 percent increase compared to the 7 cases reported in the previous year.
This was followed by Lambunao (99), Barotac Nuevo (95), Tigbauan (88), Carles (78), Concepcion (75), Barotac Viejo (66), Lemery (64), Leon (61), and Miagao (57), among others.
Labis added that Passi City and New Lucena had the most new HFMD cases, with 17 each, followed by Tigbauan and Badiangan with 13 each, and Tubungan with 12.
He also emphasized that majority of the cases logged affected children ages 1 to 5.
“Most cases are mild, but some children under 1 had to be hospitalized due to painful mouth rashes that caused difficulty in eating and drinking, which led to dehydration,” he said.
HFMD is a viral illness marked by fever, sore throat, and rashes that may appear on hands, feet, buttocks, and other parts of the body.
Labis advised parents to immediately seek medical care for their children if symptoms appear and to keep them home from school and public places to prevent the disease's spread.
The Iloilo Provincial Health Office (PHO) emphasized the importance of adhering to preventive measures, such as regular hand hygiene with soap and water, especially following toilet use, changing diapers, prior to eating, and after sneezing or coughing, as essential for mitigating the transmission of the disease.
