The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday mentioned the declaration of a hand, foot and mouth illness (HFMD) outbreak needs to be backed by scientific knowledge.
DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire mentioned it is going to even be triggered if the circumstances of the sickness are not manageable.
At the press briefing, Vergeire was requested if there’s a must declare an outbreak for the HFMD amid the reported circumstances previously weeks.
She mentioned that native authorities items (LGUs) can at all times declare an outbreak supplied that there’s scientific proof primarily based on the surveillance knowledge.
“For us to consider and trigger a declaration of an outbreak. Unang una surveillance data would support and say na tumaas siya for the past five years. But another consideration would be, is it manageable?” she mentioned.
“Can the local government still be able and has the capacity to manage the cases and prevent further transmission? So pagtinignan natin mukhang nakakamanage ang local governments natin they are coping and they are able to cope up with further transmission of the illness,” she added.
Vergeire the declaration of an outbreak ought to have a “health component and political component.”
“Kaya yung outbreak, it will only be triggered or declared if surveillance data will say that it has surpassed the epidemic level and also if the cases are already unmanageable by the local government,” she mentioned.
The Health official mentioned previously 4 weeks there are solely 29% energetic circumstances of HFMD, whereas the remainder have recovered.
“If you have a look at per province, per space ngayon, we are able to report back to all of you for instance, we’ve got circumstances proper now in Bataan apat na well being occasions, sa Albay might apat din, sa Benguet might tatlo, sa Pasay might dalawa, sa Cagayan might dalawang well being occasions,” she mentioned.
“Although, we can say in these past four weeks meron tayong areas talaga na mataas yung naging kaso tulad sa Albay, they had 541 cases, sa Region 3 Bataan also for the past four weeks aside from this recent health events meron silang 188 and then sa ibang areas like Region 2 they had 48 cases,” she added.
“But pagtinignan natin yung kabuuan and tinotal natin lahat ng nangyayari this past four weeks only 29% are active cases, the rest have recovered,” she furthered.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), HFMD is a standard infectious illness that almost all usually impacts youngsters. Its widespread signs embrace fever, painful sores within the mouth, and a rash with blisters on palms, ft and buttocks.—LDF, GMA Integrated News
