• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
E.B. Magalona Mayor Matthew Louis Malacon said on Friday (July 11) there is no cause for alarm amid reports of hand, foot, and mouth cases in eight barangays.
Malacon said these cases are still subject for confirmation via laboratory testing by the Department of Health (DOH).
Nonetheless, the mayor instructed municipal health officer, Dr. Edmundo Janeo Jr., to exert more efforts in conducting thorough verification of the reported HFMD cases.
Classes in all day care centers and schools with suspected cases were suspended since July 10 to give way for the disinfection measures.
Disinfection has been done in accordance with the instructions and protocols provided by the DOH through the Negros Occidental Provincial Health Office (PHO) and Municipal Health Office.
“I acknowledge that this issue is quite concerning hence, we are now doing the best we can to contain the spread of the suspected HFMD cases,” Malacon said.
He appealed to Saraviahanons to stay calm, pending final results of the confirmatory tests from DOH.
Malacon also encouraged town residents to maintain good personal hygiene as a way to avoid not only HFMD, but other emerging viral or bacterial diseases.
E.B. Magalona Vice Mayor Marvin Malacon has been designated as head of a special body tasked to delve further on the matter. The PHO has reported 16 HFMD cases in E.B. Magalona out of the more than 800 cases all over the province from January to June 28 this year.*
