THE LOCAL government of San Pascual in Batangas province suspended the conduct of face-to-face classes for daycare up to Grade 3 after over 100 children in eight barangays were infected with hand, foot and mouth disease.

Mayor Antonio Dimayuga said classes in Pook ni Kapitan, Pook ni Banal, Resplandor, Natunuan North, Antipolo, Mataas na Lupa, Sambat and Sto. Niño were cancelled from October 18 to 21.

“As a proactive response, field investigation is being conducted by the Rural Health Unit San Pascual in coordination with DepEd (Department of Education) San Pascual to immediately trace HFMD cases, prevent its complications, and reduce transmission of infection through health awareness and health education campaigns,” Dimayuga said in his Executive Order No. 27 issued on Oct. 17.

“There is a need to suspend classes for isolation, reporting and monitoring of cases and facilitate disinfection and case investigation,” he added.

To prevent the disease from spreading, authorities have disinfected classrooms and distributed medicines as well as vitamins to the children.

Department of Health officer-in-charge Ma. Rosario Vergeire said the DoH already checked if the disease had spread to other towns.

“We already did our investigation at nagbigay na rin tayo ng mga preventive measures para sa mga barangay na ito,” Vergeire said.

The HFMD, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is caused by viruses from the enterovirus family.

Some of its symptoms are fever, cough, cold, and lesions in the mouth, hands and feet.

According to the US CDC, HFMD is not serious but because it is highly contagious, it spreads quickly in schools and daycare centers.