THE Bacolod City Health Office (CHO) logged 180 cases of hand-foot-mouth-disease (HFMD) from January 1 to June 10 this year.
Dr. Grace Tan, head of the CHO Environment Sanitation Division, said Wednesday, June 28, that Barangay Villamonte topped the list with 28 cases, followed by Barangay Handumanan with 24; Barangay Taculing with 15; Barangay Vista Alegre with 13; Barangay Estefania with 11.
Barangay Alijis recorded eight cases; Barangays Singcang-Airport, Tangub, Bata, Banago, Mansilingan, and Mandalagan also recorded seven cases each of HFMD.
Tan said the age range of the affected individuals includes one month to 38 years old and the age group with the most cases are from one to 10 years old with 156 cases.
She said HFMD is a common childhood infectious illness caused by the Coxsackie virus.
She added that the signs and symptoms of HFMD include a sore throat, fever, and painful ulcers or blisters in the hands and feet, sometimes the thighs and buttocks.
Tan noted that the patient should take paracetamol for fever and pain, eat soft but not spicy or hot foods, and drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.
To prevent the spread of the disease, Tan also urged the public to always practice hand washing, especially after touching an infected person or body fluids, feces, or before eating, to keep an infected child or person at home to avoid transmission, to avoid sharing items, and to disinfect surfaces with bleach.*