Hand, Footh, and Mouth Disease in Babies

The Hand, Footh, and Mouth Disea se (HFMD) is a mild, infectious viral infection that is frequent in young children that can be passed onto others when the person infected with the virus comes into con tact with another person, or it can also be from one’s lesions. HFMD scientifically known as the Coxsackievirus A16 belongs to the enterovirus family or a group of viruses which infect the central ner vous system. The infectious virus can live on surfaces for days. With this proper hand washing and disinfecting is advi sed. DOH has recorded a total num ber of 116 HFMD cases in the country

HFMD cases not a cause of concern: Health office

By NATALIE ANDREA AYO

THE CASES OF Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD) in Ligao City remain low.

This was from the latest records of the City Health Office (CHO) of Ligao City, as there was only one reported and confirmed case of the said disease locally.

HFMD is a mild, infectious viral infection that is frequent in young children that can be passed onto others when the person infected with the virus comes into contact with another person, or it can also be from one’s lesions.

It usually affects the mouth, hand, and foot areas of the body.

Any one or a combination of the following symptoms could be brought on by HFMD.

Fever, sore throat, feeling unwell, pain, blister-like lesions on the tongue, gums, and inside of the cheeks, a rash on the palms and soles, and occasionally the buttocks are all symptoms of this illness.

The rash may be red, white, gray, or simply present as tiny lesions, depending on skin tone. Infants and young children may act fussy or lose their appetite.

HFMD is not that dangerous since it is characterized as a passing disease that can be treated easily. Its treatment is more symptomatic, and supportive treatments are the ones prescribed to those infected with the virus. Due to the rashes in the mouth, some people, especially children, have a hard time eating or drinking water because of the pain.

People infected with HFMD can be treated at home, and it is a must for them to isolate themselves to avoid infecting other people as well for at least 1015 days or until the lesions disappear. Some people just seek consultation from physicians because of the itchiness, blisters, and other discomfort caused by the disease.

The most advisable practice is to consult a physician or the CHO to be properly diagnosed and given proper medications.

Due to the rashes in the mouth, some people, especially children, have a hard time eating or drinking water because of the pain.

Typically, it takes three to six days from the time of the initial infection until the onset of symptoms (incubation period). It’s possible for kids to suffer from a fever and a sore throat.

They occasionally feel unwell and lose their appetite. Kids aged zero to ten years old are the ones most at risk of being infected with hand, foot, and mouth disease.

Low but not alarming

It can be reported as either a suspect case, where any individual has developed acute febrile illness or a rash on palms and soles with or without lesion, probable case, which is a suspected case not confirmed by any laboratory tests but has been around a person who is diagnosed; or confirmed, where a suspected person/probable case is confirmed with laboratory results for human enteroviruses that cause HFMD.

According to Rempillo, HFMD only re-emerged last year since there were no reports of infection after the pre-pandemic.

It’s possible for kids to suffer from a fever and a sore throat. They occasionally feel unwell and lose their appetite. Kids aged zero to ten years old are the ones most at risk of being infected with hand, foot, and mouth disease.

Being exposed to a person diagnosed with HFMD is the most common way to become infected.

There is no clustering. Nurse Charlou Natalie S. Rempillo, a Nurse II of the City Health Office (CHO) says that the cases of HFMD in Ligao City are not that high as compared to other cities; there are some barangays that have confirmed cases and some that have none, but not to the point that it is already alarming.

There is a higher risk of HFMD in areas where houses are near each other, as the virus can be passed on easily.

In October 2022, only nine cases were reported, of which two were from Barangay Guilid, and one from Tuburan, Basag, Binatagan, Tomolin, Tinago, Cavasi, and Bagumbayan.

Ten cases were reported in November, two from Layon and one from Barangays Tastas, Ranao-ranao, Tinago, Tinampo, Cavasi, Binatagan, Paulog, and Tuburan, and 30 cases in December, with barangays reporting cases not exceeding three.

Recently, there has only been one reported case in Tuburan. The data shows that the number of cases of HFMD in Ligao, City is continually decreasing and is not really high. ■

Coronavirus: An Ending or Just the Beginning?

The disease that once caused fear is now becoming a legend and only a fragment of the past to be told to the next generation.

By NAOMI HANNAH JOY SANIN

Anew dawn has arisen for every single person in the world and country as the pandemic that catered countless negative implications start to meet its night. People may see the ending but research and discoveries says otherwise.

Voluntary wearing of face masks, absence of strict implementations of physical distancing and the obstruction of curfews and quarantines. The world is already returning to the way it was before the pandemic. The pandemic era is coming to an end considering the depleting cases of COVID-19 around the globe. However, the fact still remains that it still exists and continually emerges as a new variant, and is growing more dangerous over the days.

COVID-19 is a respiratory disease brought on by the coronavirus SARSCoV-2, which emerged in 2019. The virus is primarily transmitted from person to another through respiratory droplets and tiny particles released during coughing, sneezing, or talking by an infected person. The World Health Organization (WHO) says that the most common symptoms include fever, chills and sore throat.

Nearly two years after COVID-19 was initially discovered, the WHO has recorded a total number of 4,102,788 confirmed cases in the country. The Department of Health (DOH) Region 5 City Health Department (CHD) has also recently recorded a total number of 1,183 active cases in the Bicol Region last May 15, 2023. Professionals were deep into research in pursuit of creating a cure or a vaccine which will allow the world to have a herd immunity against the virus.

Over the years, it has grown to become more dangerous as it develops into variants that come out worse see the previous. It has caused fear and worry to a lot of people. Due to the restrictions imposed upon their population to control the spread of the virus, many nations have reported a decline in infections, hospitalization, and fatalities for over the summer of 2020. As much as the situation can get, the BA.2.12.1. variation which is a sublineage of the Omicron variant, the recent XBB.1.16 or Arcturus variant, and many other COVID-19 variants have made its way to the Philippines and to multiple areas around the country. As a result, disease outcomes were altering.

People saw light upon the successful creation of the vaccine. In the Bicol Region, 3,636,272 individuals are recorded to be fully vaccinated which is 85.2% coverage of the target population, this is according to a recent report released by the DOH Bicol CHD Facebook account. This allowed the people to be a little complacent about going out and being able to socialize physically without the fear of being infected by the virus. But the emergence of these new variants shows that there is still a threat to the health of the people as it continues to grow into something more deadly as time goes by.

People are rejoicing over the success of the vaccination and how the number of COVID-19 cases is starting to diminish at a large rate in a lot of countries. However, the fact still remains that people were only made immune to the virus, and it hasn’t been banished yet; it still exists and continually develops and mutates. The enemy, though not seen by the naked eye, is still there and continues to cause suffering to those who are infected. The end of the pandemic era can already be grasped, but it is still not fully attained as long as new variants are born and threaten to begin a cycle of suffering and fear among each person. The light at the end of the tunnel is already visible, but is it the door towards the ending or just a passage to the beginning? ■