The Davao City Health Office (CHO), through its Environmental Sanitation Division and Tropical Disease Division, has set up measures to prevent the spread of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD) by continuously conducting disinfection and monitoring in parks and playgrounds.
HFMD is a mild viral infection caused by enterovirus, which is typically common in Asia.
Dr. Tomas Miguel Ababon, CHO officer-in-charge, during the I-speak session on Thursday, said that aside from disinfection, the City Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (CESU) is also in close coordination with school clinics to monitor HFMD.
He said they continue to conduct surveillance to identify the population if there are complications that could arise due to HFMD.
“Importante man gud ang surveillance sa usa ka infectious disease para ma-control nato ang spread. And mahibal-an pud nato kung kinsa tong naay complication or kung wala ba gyu'y lain epekto ni’ng sakita, kung unsa ka pas-pas, mubag-o ba siya sa iyang transmission (The surveillance of an infectious disease is important so that we can control the spread. And for us to know who has a complication or if there are no other effects of the disease, how fast it is, or if it changes its transmission),” he said.
He said a total of 30 HFMD cases have been reported in Davao City from October 3 to October 16 this year.
He said a school in Davao recently opted to have an online class due to HFMD.
“But these 30 cases are not confined to one classroom. This involves 16 sections. So, 16 classrooms ni sya, ang one classroom naa’y isa, [ang uban] naa’y duha. Dili siya ing ana ka daghan (But these 30 cases are not confined to one classroom. This involves 16 sections. So, it’s 16 classrooms, one classroom has one, and others have two. It is not that much),” he said.
He also said HFMD is transmitted through direct contact through droplets, and is symptomatic.
“When we say symptomatic, we mean that if there’s a fever, we give an antipyretic, if there’s dehydration, we give oresol,” he said.
Ababon said it usually affects children six years old and below and is usually seen in daycare centers and elementary schools.
He, however, noted that even though it is a mild disease, it can still cause problems with the respiratory, cardiovascular, and central nervous systems, including myocarditis and seizures.
He also reminds the public to constantly abide by the minimum public health standards to prevent HFMD.
“Atoang minimum public health standard (Our minimum public health standard)- which is hand washing, do not go to work, or do not go to school, discourage your child to go to school if symptomatic, or not feeling well,” he said.
He said they encourage parents to send patients to doctors if an affected child is less than six months old, has a weak immune system, and already experiencing complications such as seizures, body malaise, and signs of severe dehydration.
“The HFMD will last mga five to seven days, kung musobra na gani’g 10 days na siya, unya taas gihapon og kalintura, that means naa na siguro’y complications, and that means kinahanglan na gyod ka muadto’g doctor (The HFMD usually lasts I've to seven days, and it if lasts for more than 10 days, and the fever is still high, there may be complications, and that they should go to the doctor),” he said.
“Adults usually don’t present symptoms, even if they have the virus but they are contagious as well,” he added. CIO
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