Published Date: 2012-05-05 15:49:10
Subject: PRO/EDR> Hand foot & mouth disease - Singapore (02)
Archive Number: 20120505.1123951
HAND, FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE - SINGAPORE (02)
*********************************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org
Date: Fri 4 May 2012
Source: Singapore News channelnewsasia.com
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1199310/1/.html
Hand, foot and mouth disease cases rise to new high
--------------------------------------------
SINGAPORE: The number of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) cases saw a 14 per cent spike, even as efforts have been stepped up to curb the current epidemic.
The Ministry of Health's (MOH) latest statistics showed that the number of cases rose to 1590 during the last week of April, breaking the four-year high of 1394 cases seen in the previous week. Inspections have been intensified at pre-schools and spot checks will be done at enrichment centres, said MOH. [To put these figures in perspective, the population of Singapore has just past 5 million. - Mod.CP]
Noting that the reported HFMD cases so far have been mild, a MOH spokesperson added high standards of hygiene are also being reinforced in primary schools and childcare centres.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail from HealthMap alerts
<promed@promedmail.org>
[This press report adds case numbers to the emerging outbreak of HFMD reported in ProMED-mail: "Hand foot & mouth disease - Singapore 20120301.1058004". So far there has been no identification of the etiologic agent (or agents) responsible for this outbreak. HFMD is endemic in Singapore, and more than 50 percent of cases occur in children below 5 years of age. Although the predominant circulating enteroviruses change periodically, the two major enteroviruses causing nationwide HFMD epidemics in Singapore have been Coxsackievirus A16 and Human enterovirus 71. Background information on HFMD in Singapore is available in a recent publication in BMC Infect Dis. 2011; 11: 270.; by Li W Ang, Meng C Phoon, Yan Wu, Jeffery Cutter, Lyn James,and Vincent T Chow,
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2334/11/270), which has been summarised in the moderator's discussion in the preceding post.
The HealthMap interactive map of Singapore can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/r/1l5I. - Mod.CP
]
See Also
Hand foot & mouth disease - Singapore 20120301.1058004Hand, foot & mouth disease - Viet Nam 20120221.1048374
Hand, foot & mouth disease - USA: (AL) Coxsackie A6 virus 20120211.1039435
2010
----
Hand foot & mouth disease: Singapore, China (HN), Viet Nam 20100329.0985
2008
----
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Asia (24): Singapore 20080826.2669
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Asia (23): Singapore 20080808.2447
Hand, foot & mouth disease - China (Anhui), Singapore 20080429.1472
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Singapore, Brunei 20080427.1456
2007
----
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Singapore 20070424.1338
2001
----
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 20010105.0037
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Singapore & Malaysia 20010105.0042
.................................................sb/cp/lm