ANGELES CITY – Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. announced that the number of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD) cases in Angeles City has significantly decreased following the implementation of preventive measures. According to the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU) and City Health Office (CHO), a rise in HFMD cases was first observed from January 1 to February 10, 2025, with a peak on January 20, when 14 cases were reported.
The trend began to increase around January 12, and by January 20, the number of cases reached 14. In response to this, the CESU and CHO launched an investigation on January 23. The findings led to Mayor Lazatin ordering the immediate disinfection of both public and private schools, along with daycare centers, on January 24. These swift actions appeared to have a positive impact on the situation.
Following these preventive measures, the number of reported cases began to drop rapidly. By January 25, cases had fallen to 9 and dropped further to 3 by January 26. From that point on, the daily number of HFMD cases continued to decline, with no day surpassing 4 cases. While there was a brief spike to 7 cases on February 3, the number of daily cases remained consistently low from February 4 onward, with figures ranging from 1 to 4 cases per day.
This steady decline in cases highlighted the effectiveness of the city’s preventive actions, with the peak of 14 cases on January 20 followed by a notable reduction after the disinfection efforts. The intervention has resulted in a sharp decrease in cases, reaching as low as 1 case per day in February.
Mayor Lazatin praised the collaborative efforts of various city departments, including the Angeles City Barangay Outreach team, led by Michael Lising; the Angeles City Environment and Natural Resources Office, led by Jenifer Castro; the CHO, under Dr. Verona Guevarra and Sanitation Division Chief Alvin Dingal; and the Environmental Management System and Angeles City Traffic Development Office, both overseen by Francis Pangilinan. He stressed the importance of teamwork and proactive measures to protect the community’s health.
The city’s efforts also included heightened sanitation protocols across 106 schools—comprising 51 public schools and 55 private schools—and all daycare centers. In addition to cleaning efforts, the city has ramped up public awareness campaigns to educate residents about HFMD and prevent its spread. “We are committed to ensuring the well-being of our community, especially our children,” Mayor Lazatin said, reinforcing the city’s ongoing commitment to public health.
Source: Angeles City Information Office
