CHO urges cleanliness, frequent handwashing amid rise in hand, foot, and mouth disease cases

The Davao City Health Office (CHO) on Monday issued a warning to citizens against an observed increase in the number of Hand, Foot, and Mouth (HFM) Disease cases reported since the start of the year.

HFM disease is a viral disease that easily infects infants and children under five years old. Symptoms include sore throat, mouth ulcers, fever, and skin rashes commonly found on the hands and feet.

“So far, ma-alarm ta kay paspas man gud ang transmission. Naa miy nadawat na balita na kanang naligo sa swimming pool, naa sa mga eskwelahan. At the dispensary sa City Health main office, daghan ta’g nagpakonsulta na mga ginikanan nagdala og mga bata (So far, we are alarmed because it is very contagious. We received reports of infection from swimming pools, from schools. At the dispensary in the City Health main office, a lot of parents came in with their children for a consultation),” said CHO acting head Dr. Marj Culas in an interview with the media on Monday.

Although an outbreak is yet to be declared, authorities from the health sector urge caution and advise people to observe cleanliness and frequent handwashing, especially for school children who are most vulnerable to the disease.

“Makuha man gud ni nila sa mga frequently touched areas—sa mga bangko, sa pultahan. Ang mga bata man gud dilil kaayo nato ma-control ba ang ilahang interactions with friends and kana ganing magdula sa salog (They can get infected from frequently touched areas—from chairs, doors. And we also cannot control children’s interactions with friends and they would even play on the floor),” she added.

Culas said educating the people about the nature of the disease is the first step in combatting it. She said that the disease can be prevented by stopping its transmission from one person to another.

“We have to keep our children away from crowding. Kung nakita nato na naa silay symptomas, i-isolate nato sila para dili sila makatakod sa laing mga bata (If we notice that they have symptoms, we must isolate them so they do not infect others),” Culas said.

The CHO head gave steps people, most especially children, must follow to prevent catching the disease.

“Just like any other viral infection, we have to clean our surroundings. Kinahanglan mag-limpyo sa lawas, frequent hand-washing. We also have to disinfect mga surfaces nato, especially kung naa tay makita na naay source of infection, kinahanglan mag-isolate pud ang isa ka tao (We need to take a bath daily, frequent hand-washing. We also have to disinfect surfaces, especially if we see a source of infection, we have to isolate that person),” said Culas.

Cases are not concentrated in certain areas of the city but scattered across districts. There are no reports of severe cases of the disease reported in the city as of yet, said Culas, however, even mild manifestations of the disease can still cause discomfort and pain for patients. No vaccine is yet available for the disease while medication only serves to provide relief from symptoms.

Since the start of the year, an estimated 500 cases of HFM diseases have been reported all over the city. CIO