San Pascual Mayor Antonio Dimayuga issued the executive order declaring the suspension of classes from Oct. 18 to 21 in eight barangays severely affected by the outbreak.
This was shared by Second District Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro on Tuesday to raise alarm over the spread of the disease.
“Ang outbreak ng HFMD na ito ay lubos na nakababahala dahilan sa nagsisimula pa lamang mag face-to-face classes ang mga kabataan sa eskuwela,” the lawmaker said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 19) — Face-to-face classes in day care centers up to Grade 3 have been suspended for three days in some areas of San Pascual, Batangas to help curb the outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease that hit dozens of children.
[Translation: The HFMD outbreak is alarming as face-to-face classes are just starting for these kids.]
Department of Health (DOH) Officer-In-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a media forum that they have begun investigating the matter.
In a statement on the San Pascual outbreak, the DOH Calabarzon office on Wednesday said it logged 105 cases with clinical symptoms of HFMD from Sept. 26 to Oct. 16.
However, it clarified that only 49 cases so far fit the definition of a suspected HFMD case, while the others have yet to be validated.
Most of the patients are children aged 1 to 16 and are predominantly male, the regional office said.
It also noted that the majority are residents of 11 barangays, namely Pook ng Kapitan, Sambat, Natunuan North, Poblacion, Pook ni Banal, San Antonio, Resplandor, Antipolo, Mataas na Lupa, Palsahingin and Alalum.
Director Ariel Valencia of the DOH regional office said the agency is helping sanitize the affected schools and has distributed educational materials about the evolving HFMD.
“We assure the public that the DOH, together with the Municipality of San Pascual, are on top of the situation,” he said.
“Bukod po sa pagtukoy natin ng source ng pagkalat ng HFMD sa lugar ay inaalam na rin po natin ang mga karagdagang assistance na kailangan sa lugar [Apart from determining the cause of the spread, we are also looking into what other assistance the area needs],” Valencia added.
HFMD is a viral and infectious disease common among children.
The World Health Organization said it is often mild and self-limiting, with symptoms including fever, painful sores in the mouth, and a rash with blisters on hands, feet and buttocks.
In more severe cases, symptoms such as meningitis, encephalitis and polio-like paralysis may occur, it added.
Valencia said while there is no specific treatment for HFMD, it can be avoided through good personal hygiene, regular disinfection of common areas or frequently touched surfaces, and avoiding close contact with an infected person.
ERRATUM: We would like to apologize for erroneously reporting that some classes in Batangas will be suspended until December, which was based on a press release from Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro. This has been corrected. Our goal is to always provide news stories that are accurate, fair, and balanced.
