Iloilo City issues measures to curb HFMD spread

By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan

Amid a spike in hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) cases, Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu has issued a directive outlining preventive and containment measures, particularly in schools.

Executive Order No. 048, Series of 2025, signed on Tuesday, July 22, and released publicly the following day, adopts recommendations from Advisory No. 1, s. 2025, of the Iloilo City Health Office.

The directive responds to the rising number of HFMD infections in the city, especially among children.

Key measures in the order include frequent handwashing with soap and water, immediate isolation of individuals showing symptoms, and regular cleaning and disinfection of school facilities.

It also calls for the prompt reporting and monitoring of suspected or confirmed cases by schools through the Iloilo City Epidemiological Surveillance Unit (ICESU).

Alternative learning modalities—such as online or modular instruction—are encouraged in classrooms or schools with multiple infections.

As of Monday, July 21, ICESU recorded 185 HFMD cases, including 42 confirmed and 143 suspected cases.

Of these, 27 are active, including three new cases recorded that day, while 158 have recovered.

“We are asking all stakeholders—school administrators, teachers, parents, and learners—to help each other,” the mayor said in a statement.

“The protection of our youth is a priority.”

HFMD is a common viral illness primarily caused by the coxsackievirus.

It is transmitted through contact with nasal discharge, saliva, fluid from blisters, or feces of an infected person.

The disease is most contagious during the first week of infection.

The World Health Organization (WHO) describes HFMD as usually mild and self-limiting, though it may lead to complications in rare cases.

These include viral meningitis, encephalitis, or polio-like paralysis.