HFMD forces kindergarten to temporarily close

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SIBU: The state Health Department has confirmed that a kindergarten in Sarikei was closed for several days due to the Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD).

State health director Datu Dr Zulkifli Jantan said the facility was closed for sanitisation.

“For now, only one kindergarten was closed. Under the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) guidelines, kindergartens will be closed when there are two or more cases in the same week,” Dr Zulkifli told The Borneo Post yesterday when asked the number of early childhood institutions in the state closed due to HFMD.

He also reminded members of the public to be on high alert and take necessary precautions to prevent the situation from exacerbating in view of the big number of people returning for the Lunar New Year celebration.

On Feb 4, Ministry of Local Government and Community Development permanent secretary Datu Dr Penguang Manggil disclosed that there was a sharp increase in the number of cases of three viral diseases in the state last month.

He reportedly said in Kuching, HFMD cases had surged by nearly three-fold, from 287 cases in January last year to 723 last month.

Dr Zulkifli thus advised parents and caretakers to continue to practise a high level of personal hygiene and cleanliness to keep the contagious disease at bay.

“Parents must also ensure that their child is not sent to school if he or she is down with HFMD and practise self-isolation at home.

“This includes non-sharing of eating utensils, handkerchiefs, and so on,” he added.

Earlier, he stressed that it was mandatory for nurseries and schools to report to the department if they suspected a child was down with HFMD to enable the department to carry out investigation.

He added that both private clinics and hospitals were required to report HFMD cases.

“Failing to do so, they can be compounded under Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act and Regulation,” he stressed.