The Philippines Department of Health (DOH) reports as of August 9, 2025, cases of Hand, Foot and Mouth disease or HFMD have hit 37,368 – up more than seven times compared to 5,081 cases in the same period in 2024.
Half of the recorded cases were children aged one to three years old.
HFMD is a contagious disease that can be obtained by touching the eye, nose, or mouth with the hand that has touched an object contaminated by the virus.
Symptoms include fever, mouth vomiting, sore throat, and blisters in the palms and soles.
Health officials advise, in case a child develops symptoms, keep him/her at home for seven to ten days or until the fever is gone and the wounds are dry.
It's also important to separate blankets and other personal belongings of a person with HFMD disease and clean the area where they were left with disinfectant.