77 scabies, chickenpox cases logged in 4 Bukidnon villages

VALENCIA CITY, Bukidnon — Officials here are alarmed by the sudden spike in scabies and chickenpox cases in four villages, prompting immediate barangay-level intervention alongside ongoing citywide disease surveillance operations.

Rudy Guadalupe, barangay captain of Colonia, expressed grave concern after official City Health Office (CHO) surveillance figures showed that the number of infected residents reached 33, up from the 28 cases initially logged in village-level monitoring.

“The scabies cases have really increased, and it’s alarming, especially as many young residents in our purok lack proper hygiene,” Guadalupe told the Inquirer via phone in Cebuano on Wednesday. “We will continue our monitoring and information drive.”

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Guadalupe identified Purok 3 as the primary epicenter of the skin infestation among the village’s seven puroks.

In response to the surge, the Barangay Council’s Committees on Health and Education tackled the public health concern.

The council agreed to launch immediate health education drives across schools and residential areas to halt further spread. At the same time, Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) were deployed to conduct household-level monitoring and follow-ups.

The localized outbreak in Barangay Colonia forms part of a broader public health challenge across Valencia City.

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Joint teams from the CHO Epidemiology, Disease Surveillance and Response (EDSR) Division and the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU) logged 77 combined cases of scabies and chickenpox across four barangays during field investigations from October 22 to 29, 2026.

The citywide surveillance tally includes 63 scabies cases—33 in Barangay Colonia and 30 school pupils in Barangay Lilingayon— and 14 chickenpox cases, comprising 11 Grade 1 pupils in Barangay Poblacion and three residents in Purok 3A, Barangay Kahaponan.

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Health teams distributed essential medical kits containing permethrin, cetirizine, paracetamol, multivitamins, and specialized sulfur soap to affected patients, while instructing families on home isolation and sanitation protocols.

Health officials reminded the public that scabies—caused by microscopic mites burrowing under the skin—spreads through prolonged skin-to-skin contact or shared bedding and clothing.

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Both scabies and chickenpox remain highly manageable with early medical evaluation, proper hygiene, and adherence to proper treatment./coa