HFMD: Kindergartens In Sarawak Reopens Next Monday

KUCHING, March 30 (Bernama) -- All kindergartens, day-care centres and pre-schools in Sarawak will be re-opened starting Monday following indications of a decline in the hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) cases in Sarawak.
Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan said, however, they must improve the hygiene of their premises.
"It's a downward trend now. We are definitely getting over the worst of HFMD outbreak. Therefore we can let the kindergartens, day-care centres and pre-schools to be re-opened on Monday, April 3," he told reporters after giving the daily updates on the HFMD outbreak in Sarawak.
A total of 488 kindergartens and day-care centres and 534 pre-schools were ordered shut down early this month by the Health Ministry after children below the age of four found to have contracted the deadly Enterovirus 71 (EV71).
Eight deaths linked to HFMD were reported so far with three cases confirmed due to EV71 while the remaining ones are still under investigations.
He said, the operators are to be provided with a flow chart on how to detect HFMD cases at their premises and if any symptoms were found they must inform the parents to take their children to a doctor and notify the nearest health office.
Dr Chan said if two or more infections detected within seven days, the Health Department would serve a closure order for two weeks.
He said the classes may start by having hand washing demo and health messages.
The Health Department would keep a close watch especially on the 37 kindergartens that closed before the general order on the March 3.
Dr Chan, who is also the State Disaster and Relief Management Committee chairman said 163 new cases of suspected HFMD were detected over the last 24 hours, including 30 cases in Sarikei, Miri (25), Sibu (20), Mukah (19), Kapit (15), Kuching (14) and the rest are from other towns.
He said 28 or 17.2 percent of the new cases were detected through Active Cases Detection.
Up to now, 7,359 children had been infected, with 25 new admissions and 53 patients still warded and none in critical condition.