Sarawak remains calm over HFM disease

Star: KUCHING: Reported cases of hand, foot and mouth disease in Sarawak have increased sharply this year but there is no cause for panic as the health authorities have the situation under control, said Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan.
Some 850 cases have already been reported as of Feb 23 this year, compared with only 73 over the corresponding period last year. There were also three deaths associated with the disease since December 2005.
However, Dr Chan said the increase was expected as the state Health Department’s surveillance of the disease since an outbreak in 1997 showed that it peaked every three years.
“From our records, there was a big outbreak in 1997, during which 31 children died. In 2000 and 2003, there was a peak of the virus again, with three deaths in Sibu Hospital three years ago,” he told a press conference.
He added that based on the current surveillance data, the disease in the state this year was due to the enterovirus 71, which is potentially more severe than other enteroviruses.
As such, he said, the authorities were taking drastic measures to reduce the spread and severity of the disease, including closing kindergartens and childcare centres when necessary.
He confirmed that a kindergarten here was closed by the Health Department on Feb 22.