MANILA (Xinhua): The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday reported that it has tallied 2,525 cases of the highly contagious hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) in just one week, bringing the total number of cases to 39,893 recorded from January to Aug. 16.
The agency said around 50 percent of the cases were detected in children aged one to three years old.
The rapid spike in HFMD cases prompted the DOH to urge the local government units to heighten vigilance in monitoring the highly contagious viral disease.
HFMD typically affects infants and young children, causing symptoms like fever, painful mouth sores, and a rash with blisters on the hands, feet, and buttocks.
It spreads through close contact with an infected person's saliva, mucus, blister fluid, or feces. - Xinhua
