ILOILO – A sharp rise in hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) cases has gripped Iloilo province, with 41 towns and the component city of Passi reporting infections as of June 28. Only the municipality of Dueñas has so far remained free of the illness.
Data from the Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO) showed 837 HFMD cases from January 1 to June 28 — a 174 percent increase compared to the 305 cases recorded during the same period last year.
Among the most affected areas are Carles (74 cases), Barotac Nuevo (57), Concepcion (54), Lambunao (41), Balasan (37), Passi City (37), Santa Barbara (37), Barotac Viejo (35), and Cabatuan (30).
The rest of the affected towns include Tigbauan (29), Dumangas (28), Lemery (27), Leon (27), Pototan (25), Igbaras (24), San Joaquin (23), Janiuay (21), Badiangan (19), Batad (19), San Rafael (19), New Lucena (18), Alimodian (16), San Dionisio (16), Zarraga (15), Calinog (14), Tubungan (14), Pavia (13), Guimbal (9), San Enrique (9), Ajuy (8), Miag-ao (6), Banate (5), Estancia (5), Oton (5), Bingawan (4), Maasin (4), Sara (3), Anilao (2), Dingle (2), Leganes (2), Mina (2), and San Miguel (2).
HFMD is a contagious viral illness commonly affecting children. It is characterized by fever, painful mouth sores, and rashes with blisters on the hands, feet, and sometimes the buttocks.
According to the Department of Health (DOH) Region 6, the disease is most infectious during the first week and spreads through contact with saliva, nasal discharge, feces, and contaminated surfaces.
DOH-6 advises the public to watch for symptoms such as sore throat, general discomfort, red blisters inside the mouth, skin rashes, irritability in young children, and loss of appetite.
There is no specific treatment for HFMD, but symptoms can be managed through adequate hydration, eating soft or cold foods to relieve mouth pain, and using over-the-counter medications for fever and discomfort, with doctor consultation when necessary.
Parents and guardians are urged to seek medical care if a child experiences worsening symptoms, difficulty in swallowing or breathing, or no improvement after 10 days.
To prevent further spread, health authorities recommend strict personal hygiene, frequent handwashing, disinfection of surfaces, avoiding sharing of personal items, proper waste disposal, covering the nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing, and minimizing exposure to crowded areas and infected individuals./PN
