Published Date: 2010-09-28 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/EDR> Hand, foot & mouth disease (08): Thailand
Archive Number: 20100928.3521

HAND, FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE (08): THAILAND
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Date: Mon 27 Sep 2010
Source: National News Bureau of Thailand (NNT), Public Relations
Department [edited]
<http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255309270009>


The Ministry of Public Health has ordered the provincial public health
offices to monitor the spread of hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) after
over 10 000 patients have been infected so far this year [2010].
According to Deputy Public Health Minister Dr Phansiri Kullanartsiri,
a change from the rainy season to the winter has provided a climate
suitable for HFMD spread. 90 percent of the patients are infants aged
less than 5 due to their low immunity. Besides, no vaccine is
currently available to immunize them.

According to the recent statistics provided by the Epidemiology
Bureau, there have been 10 684 patients suffering from HFMD since
January 2010 with no fatalities have been reported. This figure is
one-fold more [2-fold?] than during the same period last year [2009].

HFMD usually spreads in places where groups of children play or study
together; therefore, one infected child can spread the disease to
others very easily. The disease can be transmitted via mucus, saliva,
wounds, and feces of infected patients. Key spots to monitor are
kindergartens, infant care centers, nurseries, swimming pools, as well
as indoor and air-conditioned playgrounds in department stores.
Entrepreneurs are hence requested to sanitize their premises on a
daily basis to help protect infants from the disease.

[Byline: Sarun Saelee]

--
Communicated by:
PRO/MBDS
<promed-mbds@promedmail.org>

[Previously hand-foot-mouth disease was reported in Phuket province of
Thailand (see ProMED-mail archive no. 20100721.2451). According to the
Thai Ministry of Public Health, Bureau of Epidemiology's (BOE) report
on cases and deaths of diseases under surveillance by province,
Thailand, available at
<http://epid.moph.go.th/wesr/file/y53/F53373.pdf>, as of week 37
(12-18 Sep 2010), the cumulative number of HFMD cases in Thailand was
11 298 cases with one death in 2010, which was higher than the number
of cases during the same period in 2009 (6172 cases). The median of
cumulative number of cases between 2005 and 2009 was 4150 cases.
However, the number of HFMD cases during week 37 2010 (64 cases) was
less than that reported in the same period of 2009 (183 cases). The
median of cases during week 37 between 2005 and 2009 was 143 cases.

According to the report, infection seems to be mild; only one fatality
was reported among 11 298 cases of HFMD. It is likely, therefore, that
the infections were not caused by enterovirus 71, which in previous
outbreaks elsewhere has been associated with serious disease.

For a map showing Thailand's provinces, see
<http://www.thailand-map.net/thailand_provinces/>.
The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Thailand is available at
<http://healthmap.org/r/00cC>. - Mods.SCM/CP]

See Also

Hand, foot & mouth disease (07): Viet Nam 20100801.2586
Hand foot & mouth disease (06): Thailand 20100721.2451
Hand, foot & mouth disease (05): China, rural areas 20100625.2121
Hand, foot & mouth disease (03): China (GI) 20100507.1489
Hand, foot & mouth disease (03): China (Beijing) 20100416.1235
Hand, foot & mouth disease (02): China 20100412.1184
Hand foot & mouth disease: Singapore, China (HN) 20100329.0985
........................................scm/cp/mj/jw
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