THE Bacolod City Health Office (CHO) logged 113 cases of hand-foot-mouth-disease (HFMD) from January 1 to February 25, an official of the CHO said Friday, March 10.
Dr. Grace Tan, head of the CHO Environment Sanitation Division, said that Barangay Handumanan topped the list with 22 cases, followed by Barangay Vista Alegre with 11.
Barangay Bata with six cases; Barangays Estefania, Banago, and Pahanocoy with five cases each; Barangay Singcang-Airport with four cases each; Barangays Mandalagan, Mansilingan, and Sum-ag with three cases each; and Barangays 2, 3, Granada, and Felisa with two cases each.
Tan said they are now monitoring the cases in the barangays, including the clustering cases in schools, and taking the necessary measures to control and prevent further spread.
"An intensified campaign is being done by healthcare workers across schools, malls, playgrounds, and barangays to encourage individual responsibility and involvement in disease prevention and control," she said.
She added that the infected individual should take paracetamol for fever and pain, eat soft but non spicy and hot foods, and drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.
The HFMD is a common childhood infectious illness caused by the Coxsackie virus. It can affect adults and is most contagious in the first week.
Tan disclosed that in order to prevent the spread of the disease, households should always practice hand washing, especially after touching an infected person or body fluids, feces, or before eating, keep an infected child or person at home to avoid transmission, avoid sharing items, and disinfect surfaces with bleach.
Meanwhile, dengue cases in Bacolod City have continued to increase, and there are now 92.7 percent more cases as of February 25, compared to the same period last year.
Records from the CHO showed that the city had a total of 79 dengue cases, with one fatality.
For the same period last year, there were only 41 cases and one death.
Tan said Barangay Mansilingan topped the list with seven cases, followed by Barangays Estefania, Cabug, and Granada with six cases each; Barangays Mandalagan, Vista Alegre with five cases each; Barangays Pahanocoy, Alijis, Tangub, and Taculing with four cases each; Barangays Villamonte and Bata with three cases each; and Barangays 6, 27, Singcang-Airport, and Sum-ag with two cases each.
The CHO urged the public to practice the 4S program of the Department of Health, which stands for search and destroy mosquito breeding places; use self-protection measures; Seek early consultation for fever lasting more than two days; and say no to indiscriminate fogging.*