Published Date: 2007-06-09 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/MBDS> Hand, foot & mouth disease - China: Beijing, Shanghai, RFI
Archive Number: 20070609.1883

HAND, FOOT & MOUTH DISEASE - CHINA: BEIJING, SHANGHAI, REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
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[1]
Date: Sat 9 Jun 2007
Source: The Hindu News Update Service [edited]
<http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200706091018.htm>

Beijing reports increase in hand, foot and mouth diseases [HFMD]
-----------------------------------------
Beijing reported 325 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease mostly
among children, in the 1st week of June [2007], a sharp rise from the
89 cases reported in the same period of last year [2006], local
health officials said. Most of the patients were children at
nurseries, kindergartens or primary schools, and nearly 90 percent of
them were under [the age of] 5, Beijing Municipal Health Bureau said.
The bureau said more cases could be reported in the coming weeks [10
- 16 Jun 2007] because the virus, which typically causes painful
blisters around the mouth, throat, hands and feet, spreads more
easily in the summer heat. Beijing's high temperature has been
hovering at 36 deg C [96.8 deg F] for the past week [2 - 8 Jun 2007].
The health bureau has told local hospitals to step up their guard
against the disease, and warned parents and teachers to take
preventive measures such as frequent washing of hands.
Hand, foot and mouth disease is characterised by fever, mouth sores
and a rash with blisters. It is spread by direct contact with nose
and throat discharges, saliva, fluid from blisters, or the stool of
infected persons. The illness is not related to foot and mouth
disease, which infects cattle, sheep and swine.
The disease killed 3 children in the eastern Shandong Province in May
[2007], when an outbreak hit at least 1263 children in the city of Linyi.
--
Communicated by:
PRO/MBDS
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******
[2]
Date: Fri 8 Jun 2007
Source: English.eastday.com [edited]
<http://english.eastday.com/eastday/englishedition/metro/userobject1ai2894252.html>

Hand, foot, mouth disease infects 4 children in Baoshan
-----------------------------------------
A total of 4 children in a Baoshan kindergarten class were infected
with hand, foot and mouth disease, a common childhood illness,
Shanghai Morning Post reported today [8 Jun 2007].
The Dachang Kindergarten, at the intersection of Changjiang Road S.
and Changyi Road, is using ultraviolet rays to sterilize the area 3
times a day, said a teacher Xu Bin. Xu said they found 3 children
with the disease on 30 May 2007 and another one on 31 May 2007. The 4
children have been under observation at home and will return to
school with their doctor's agreement, Xu said.
The kindergarten also put a notice on a blackboard at the gate,
reminding children not to play outdoors or play together to prevent
the spread of the disease. Hand, foot and mouth disease [HFMD], also
known as coxsackievirus infection, is a common childhood illness that
mainly affects those under the age of 10. Symptoms include fever,
sores in the mouth and a rash with blisters. The virus often begins
with a sore throat. The disease can be transmitted through nose and
throat discharges. It can be fatal.
A 14-month-old boy and a 2-year-old girl were reported to have died
from HFMD in Linyi City, Shandong Province, in the past 2 months [Apr
- May 2007]. This put schools on alert and the city reported 981
cases of HFMD since April [2007], 609 of whom have recovered.
The Shanghai Health Bureau Local has warned local medical facilities
and kindergartens to raise awareness about the disease. The bureau
also ordered schools to report to their local disease prevention and
control center if they found more than 10 cases of the disease.
Cases of the disease have increased 119.41 percent year-on-year nationwide.
--
Communicated by:
PRO/MBDS
<promed-mbds@promedmail.org>
[China has reported in several newswires on HFMD at Shandong province
since May 2007 (see prior PRO/MBDS postings listed below). Beijing,
located a bit up north of Shandong province, also has reported of the
HFMD cases recently as well as Shanghai, located a bit west of
Shandong province. Since the areas are not so far from each other,
one might suspect that children in the 2 areas have been in contact
with each other. In order to test this hypothesis, laboratory
confirmation on serotype of viruses responsible for the HFMD
outbreaks between the places is requested. More information on the
investigation will be appreciated.
Brief background information of can be found in the Malaysia
Department of Public Health Manual on HFMD available at:
<http://www.dph.gov.my/survelans/Guidelines%202006/HFMD%20Manual.pdf>.
- Mod.KS]
[A map of China with provinces can be found at:
<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/china_pol01.jpg>
- Mod.MPP]

See Also

Hand, foot & mouth disease - China (Hong Kong SAR) 20070605.1815
Hand, foot & mouth disease - China (Shandong) (04) 20070524.1663
Hand, foot & mouth disease - China (Shandong) (03): Coxsackie 20070521.1628
Hand, foot & mouth disease - China (Shandong) (02) 20070521.1611
Hand, foot & mouth disease - China (Shandong): RFI 20070514.1537
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Viet Nam (Ho Chi Minh City) 20070402.1121
.........................ks/mpp/ejp/mpp
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