The most affected age group was one to five years old, but the affected individuals ranged in age from three months to 61 years old.
Data from the DOH 7’s Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit showed that the number of cases in the first 42 days of 2023 alone was already three-fourths of the 438 cases of the disease recorded in the whole of 2022.
The DOH 7 said 101 of the cases were in Bohol, 126 were in Cebu, 68 were in Negros Oriental, and 45 were in Siquijor.
According to the United States of America’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HFMD is caused by viruses that belong to the Enterovirus family.
Cebu City
In Cebu City, the City Health Department (CHD) recorded 87 probable or suspected cases of HFMD from January to March 2023.
Most of the suspected cases are school learners ages four to 10 years old, said CHD head Dr. Daisy Villa Wednesday, March 8, 2023.
Villa said they had conducted testing on only 10 individuals suspected to have HFMD since the rest had already fully recovered and only showed mild symptoms.
One individual suspected to have HFMD also died in January, but Villa doubts that the infection caused the death since the doctor diagnosed the cause of death as pneumonia.
“There are no confirmed (cases), probable only. We have probable cases based on signs and symptoms,” said Villa.
Symptoms of HFMD include mild fever, mouth sores, and lesions on the hands and feet.
Villa urged parents and teachers to teach the children proper hygiene protocols such as washing of hands since the virus can be transmitted through physical contact with other persons.
Children showing signs or symptoms of HFMD are also discouraged by Villa from attending classes to minimize the risk of spreading the disease.
Villa also encouraged children to wear masks when going to school since the virus can be transmitted through respiratory droplets.
Villa said she had already met with health officers from various schools to talk about HFMD.
Not ASF
Villa also debunked the speculation of some parents that HFMD is related to or caused by African swine fever (ASF), which is now affecting the country’s hog industry.
ASF is a deadly viral disease affecting pigs. It is not a threat to human health as it cannot be transmitted from pigs to humans, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. HFMD, on the other hand, affects people, not animals, said the CDC.
Should symptoms of HFMD such as rashes appear on a person’s skin, Villa said there are over-the-counter topical medicines that can be used as treatment.
Villa further said the infection is not fatal and will just commonly subside after a week.
From Jan. 1 to Feb. 11, 2023, Siquijor topped the list of municipalities and cities with the highest number of recorded HFMD cases in Central Visayas with 33; followed by Sibulan, Negros Oriental with 26 cases; Balamban, Cebu with 19; Alicia, Bohol with 18, and Pilar, Bohol with 14 cases.
Under Cebu Province were Mandaue City with 10 cases, and Cebu City, Argao, and Dalaguete with nine cases each.