BONTOC, Mountain Province – The Provincial Health Office reported that there were four cases of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) in Paracelis.
Provincial Hospital Administrator Juanita L. Lampac shared the information during the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s first quarter meeting on February 17, 2025, that the first HFMD case in kindergarten was detected in Paracelis Central School last February 5, 2025. The second to fourth cases, who were playmates of the first victim, were reported days after.
According to the World Health Organization, HFMD is a common infectious disease that occurs most often in children but can also occur in adolescents and occasionally in adults. In most cases, this disease is mild and self-limiting.
Symptoms of HFMD include fever, mouth sores, sore throat, and rashes with blisters on hands, feet, and buttocks.
With this, the PHO, together with the Provincial Department of Health Office, urge the general public to practice proper hygiene like frequent hand washing with soap, avoiding skin-to-skin contact with those who are infected, regularly cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces and shared items like toys, doorknobs, and others, and immediately consult the doctors when the symptoms are observed. By MP-PIO
