THE Bacolod City Health Office (CHO) has urged all public and private schools to report suspected cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD).
Dr. Grace Tan, head of the CHO Environment Sanitation Division, said schools should require a medical certificate from students showing symptoms of HFMD, or they may visit health centers in various barangays to confirm whether it is HFMD or not.
“We would appreciate if all these reports will be submitted to the CHO so we can make our updated account as to how many our cases because if we don’t have an exact figure on that, we can’t manage it appropriately,” Tan said.
She added that schools should conduct regular disinfection as one of the sustainable measures to prevent the spread of HFMD.
Tan also noted that schools should advise parents not to send their children to school if they are showing symptoms of HFMD.
City Health Office (CHO) records show that from January to July 12, 2025, Bacolod City recorded a total of 78 cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD).
Barangay Villamonte topped the list with 12 cases, followed by Barangay Estefania with nine; Barangay Mansilingan with eight; Barangays Tangub, Cabug, and Singcang-Airport with six cases each; Barangay Granada with five; Barangay Vista Alegre with four; and Barangays Banago, Mandalagan, and Alijis with three cases each.
Dr. Grace Tan said the signs and symptoms of HFMD include sore throat, fever, and painful ulcers or blisters on the hands and feet, and sometimes on the thighs and buttocks.
She added that HFMD spreads through direct contact with droplets from coughing or sneezing, touching an infected person, close contact such as kissing or hugging, sharing utensils, contact with an infected person’s feces, and touching contaminated objects or surfaces.
“Once in school, we should teach our children to practice the hand hygiene frequently as well as the adults to prevent the spread of HFMD,” she added. (MAP)