Published Date: 2006-03-03 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/EDR> Hand, foot and mouth disease - Malaysia (Sarawak)
Archive Number: 20060303.0671

HAND, FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE - MALAYSIA (SARAWAK)
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Date: Thu, 2 Mar 2006
From: Thomas Roesel <roesel@lycos.com>
Source: Bernama.com, Malaysian National News, 2 Mar, 2006 [edited]
<http://bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=183396>

9 more kindergartens in Sarawak have been ordered to close temporarily as a
preventive measure to avert the spread of hand, foot and mouth (HFM)
disease in the state. Deputy chief minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan said
Thursday that this brought to 10 the number of kindergartens that had been
ordered closed, including one that was closed last week.
"As of now, there are a total of 6 kindergartens in Kuching and 4 in
Bintulu that have been asked to close," he told reporters after launching
the RM10 million [USD 2.7 million] Sarawak Information Systems Sdn Bhd
(Sains) Data Centre here.
Dr Chan said that yesterday, a 1 year old baby from Mukah was confirmed
dead with symptoms related to the deadly enterovirus 71 (EV71), one of the
virus strains related to the HFM that killed 29 children under 5 years old
in Sarawak in 1997.
Without revealing the gender of the baby, he said the Sarawak Health
Department was doing laboratory tests to confirm the exact cause of death,
whether it was due to EV71 or other HFM virus strains. Dr Chan said 4
deaths had been recorded since January 2006, including the latest case in
Mukah yesterday, with one death confirmed to be due to EV71 while the other
2 were confirmed to be due to HFM-related disease but without the presence
of EV71. He said all the HFM cases in Sarawak were in the town areas. He
assured the public that the Sarawak Health Department had the capability to
handle HFM disease based on the 1997 experience.
--
Thomas Roesel
<roesel@lycos.com>
[HFM disease is a common childhood illness. In 1997, a severe outbreak of
HFM took place in the same state in Malaysia (Sarawak; see also:
19970615.1256). Among other enteroviruses, EV 71 and coxsackievirus A16 are
the 2 major pathogens. HFM is usually spread by person-to-person contact.
In the current situation, any kindergarten affected by the disease should
be closed for thorough decontamination. - Mod.RY]

See Also

2005
---
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Malaysia (Penang)(2) 20050223.0579
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Malaysia (Penang) 20050115.0127
2002
---
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Malaysia 20020409.3910
2001
---
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Malaysia 20010531.1069
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Singapore (04) 20010226.0379
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Singapore (03) 20010129.0206
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Singapore (02) 20010111.0088
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Singapore & Malaysia 20010105.0042
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Singapore 20010105.0037
2000
---
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Malaysia & Singapore (06) 20001025.1849
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Singapore (09) 20001023.1834
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Singapore (08) 20001021.1820
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Malaysia & Singapore (05) 20001020.1812
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Malaysia & Singapore (04) 20001018.1795
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Malaysia (05) 20001013.1754
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Malaysia (04) 20001011.1741
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Singapore (07) 20001005.1715
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Singapore (05) 20001003.1708
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Singapore (04) 20000930.1689
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Malaysia & Singapore (02) 20000925.1658
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Malaysia & Singapore 20000920.1626
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Singapore (03) 20000919.1616
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Singapore (02) 20000914.1570
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Singapore 20000913.1562
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Malaysia (03) 20000521.0806
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Malaysia (02) 20000328.0458
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Malaysia 20000325.0433
..................ry/pg/sh

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