The Provincial Health Office has not recommended the declaration of a hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) outbreak in Negros Occidental, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said Monday afternoon, February 13.
So there will be no declaration of an HFMD outbreak in the province, he said.
While the reported increase of HFMD cases in Negros Occidental by 6,300 percent at the start of the year is very alarming, the PHO is in a better position to advise if a declaration of an outbreak is needed, Lacson said Monday morning.
He said it was most likely that he would declare an outbreak, but he would follow the judgment of the PHO.
A declaration of an outbreak will mean all city and municipal health units should exert more effort to inform their constituents about HFMD that is highly contagious and to also alert the Department of Education, he said.
Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, Provincial Health Officer, said last week that there were 320 HFMD cases reported from January 1 to February 4 in Negros Occidental, or an increase by 6,300 percent compared to the five cases in the same period last year.
Those were suspected cases recorded as HFMD because of the symptoms manifested, Tumimbang said Monday.
However, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) confirmed cases are needed for the declaration of an outbreak, he said.
The suspected HFMD cases in Negros Occidental are not particularly concentrated in specific areas, he also noted.
Tumimbang said he has not recommended the declaration of an outbreak because they have to follow the guidelines of the Department of Health Epidemiology Bureau requiring RITM confirmed HFMD cases.*