Google map of Roxas town in Palawan province.
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan – The number of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) cases in Roxas town in northern Palawan has ballooned to 110 as of March 29, the Municipal Health Office said on Thursday.
Municipal Health Officer Dr. Leo Salvino said in an interview the HFMD cases which were first monitored in February suddenly increased this month and continue to rise.
“There are still new cases coming out, actually I was able to check two more today (Thursday) and private clinics have also started to report,” he said.
Salvino said a student from Barangay Tinitian who is studying in Langogan here was the first to be monitored with the virus.
“We are not singling him out because the cases actually started in Manila so maybe someone came in who we do not know is infected,” he added.
Salvino said he has advised parents to isolate children who have symptoms and to conduct disinfection in their houses.
He said they have advised schools to disinfect classrooms.
“Last Wednesday, we conducted disinfection using disinfectants mixed with water in the villages of New Barbacan, Magara, San Jose and Nicanor Zabala. We actually conducted the disinfection Wednesday last week so that after three days plus Saturday and Sunday, it will be a total of five days for the disinfection to take effect,” he said.
The HFMD cases in Roxas were first reported by Palawan board member Ma. Angela Sabando on Tuesday when she said there were already 96 cases.
She said a report showed Barangay Magara with the highest number of cases at 54 followed by Barangay Nicanor Zabala with 22, and San Jose and Barangay IV with five each. (Genesis Medina/PNA)
