DAVAO CITY — The Davao City Health Office on Wednesday called the increase of hand, foot and mouth disease cases “alarming” after noticing the fast transmission of the illness among children since January 2023.
“We are alarmed because it is very contagious. We received reports of infection from swimming pools, from schools. At the dispensary in the City Health main office, a lot of parents came in with their children for a consultation,” said CHO acting head Dr. Marj Culas in a report from the City Health Office.
The 92 cases tallied by the Department of Health XI consist mostly of children aged 0 to 9 years old. There are also adolescents who were infected by the disease.
In the entire Davao Region, there are 368 confirmed cases.
However, an outbreak has yet to be declared.
While still on semestral break, schools are preparing measures to welcome back pupils mid-February. Health protocols and viral disease response, the same as those implemented at the onset of the pandemic, will strictly be imposed.
“We have to keep our children away from crowding. If we notice that they have symptoms, we must isolate them so they do not infect others,” Culas said.
In an earlier interview with PTV Davao, the Department of Education XI said that there are no teaching personnel reported to be infected so far.
Schools are mandated to conduct daily case surveillance among their students. — Report from Chrislen Bulosan