KOTA KINABALU: The Health Department has detected 277 cases of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) across Sabah in the first 13 weeks this year.
Deputy Health Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin, who revealed this yesterday, said the figure represented an incidence rate of 8.77 for every 100,000 population, a significant decrease compared to the five-year high of 51.99 in every 100,000 recorded in 2012.
“HFMD infections were reported in 18 districts including Kota Kinabalu, Penampang, Tawau, Keningau, Tuaran, Sandakan, Putatan, Tenom, Beluran, Kudat, Beaufort, Sipitang, Papar, Kuala Penyu, Kota Marudu, Kota Marudu, Pitas and Tongod.
“Most of the cases involved children below 15. No pathogen has been identified yet and the situation is under control and measures have been taken to prevent the disease from spreading,” she said, adding there has been a significant drop of 62.2 per cent in the number of cases detected last week, from 37 to only 14, compared to the previous week.
HFMD has been reported in Sabah in the last five consecutive years with 2012 being the worst year when 1,635 cases were detected.
Caused by enterovirus, the disease caused fever, rashes (maculopapular vesicles) on the hand and feet, tongue and mouth ulcer and symptoms of trachea infection.
The disease can spread through contact with bodily discharge and usually occur among children below 10.
“Kota Kinabalu contributed the highest number of infection with 91 cases (32.9%) followed by Penampang with 44 cases (15.9%), Tawau 25 kes (9.0%) and Keningau and Tambunan with 19 cases (6.9%) each.
“Six widespread infections were reported, two of them in Kota Kinabalu and one each in Tawau, Tambunan, Kudat and Kota Marudu. Four them have been resolved but two, namely Kota Kinabalu and Kota marudu were still active,” she said.
Majority or 216 of the victims were those between one to five years of age, 26 aged six to 15, 25 aged one and below, six aged 26 to 55, and four aged 16 to 25.
Twenty of the victims were admitted while the rest were given outpatient treatment. Samples from 82 patients were taken for testing.
So far, 5 daycare centres, kindergartens, preschool and primary school has been closed, three of them in Kota Kinabalu and one each in Tawau and Kudat.
Health education and awareness campaign has been carried out in high risk areas, where 95 session of health talks involving 1,074 attendees have been carried out by the State Health Department.
In order to prevent an outbreak, Rosnah urged parents to immediately seek bring their child for treatment and not allow them to attend school should they show any sign or symptoms of the disease.
“Also ensure that we and our children practise good hygiene such as frequently washing our hands and covering our mouth when we cough or sneeze.
“Children with HFMD should be given immediate treatment and kept at home until they fully recover to prevent spreading the disease to other children,” she added.
No HFMD death has been reported so far.