Health authorities have raised the alarm after Iloilo province logged a staggering 382 percent increase in hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) cases this year.
From January to Aug. 9, the Provincial Health Office (PHO) recorded 1,685 cases, a sharp jump from just 349 cases during the same period in 2024.
In the latest monitoring week alone, 156 new cases were reported, according to PHO’s health service delivery division head Dr. Rodney Labis.
The surge is most alarming in Passi City, which went from seven cases last year to 160 this year — a 2,186 percent increase.
Other municipalities with high case counts include Lambunao (99), Barotac Nuevo (95), Tigbauan (88), Carles (78), Concepcion (75), Barotac Viejo (66), Lemery (64), Leon (61), and Miagao (57).
“Most of our cases are mild, but some children have been hospitalized,” Labis said, noting that HFMD is a viral infection that spreads quickly among children.
Symptoms include rashes on the legs, arms, soles of feet, buttocks, and palms, along with fever and sore throat. Without timely medical care, rashes can become infected and require further treatment.
Labis urged parents to bring symptomatic children to the nearest health center and to keep them out of school and public places to curb transmission.
He also reminded families to enforce preventive measures such as frequent handwashing, avoiding the sharing of personal items, and discouraging children from touching their eyes, nose, and mouth.IMT
