82,846 HFMD cases reported as of June 4 - Health DG

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 82,846 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) were reported as of the last day of epidemiological week (ME) 22/2022 (June 4), said Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

He said this showed a 32-fold increase compared to 2,485 cases recorded in the same period last year and a 1.7-fold increase compared to 30,489 cases reported in 2019.

However, he said a total of 16,954 HFMD cases were reported nationwide during ME22/2022 week, a 9.3 per cent decrease compared to 18,688 cases recorded in ME21/2022.

Dr Noor Hisham said as of June 4, Selangor contributed the largest number of HFMD cases, with 23,305 cases (28.13 per cent), followed by Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya with 9,540 cases (11.52 per cent), Perak with 8,032 cases (9.70 per cent), Kelantan with 5,782 cases (6.98 per cent) and Johor with 5,234 cases (6.32 per cent).

"Most of the HFMD cases occurred among children aged six and below, at 74,841 cases (90 per cent), followed by those aged seven to 12, at 6,520 cases (eight per cent) and those over the age of 12 with 1,485 cases (two per cent)," he said in a statement today.

Dr Noor Hisham said based on the surveillance, the three main viruses that caused the transmission of HFMD within the community this year were Enterovirus 71 (EV71), Coksackie A6 (CA6) and Coxsackie A16 (CA16).

He said to date, there were three HFMD cases admitted to intensive care units (ICU).

The first and second cases were admitted to the ICU due inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) and were still under close monitoring while the third case has recovered and was allowed to go home on May 31.

Meanwhile, a total of 1,746 outbreaks were reported in Malaysia with three states recording the highest number, namely Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya at 562 (32.2 per cent), followed by Selangor at 208 (11.9 per cent) and Sarawak at 206 (11.8 per cent).

"The majority of the disease outbreaks occurred in nurseries, kindergartens and pre-schools with 1,059 outbreaks or 61 per cent of the total cases, followed by private homes with 605 outbreaks or 35 per cent and also childcare centres with 56 outbreaks (three per cent)," he said.

Outbreaks occur when two or more cases are reported in one locality and cases have epidemiology relations and infection occurred during the incubation period of HFMD.

According to Dr Noor Hisham, as of June 4, a total of 1,346 nurseries, kindergartens and preschools were closed, 305 of which voluntarily and 1,041 premises were closed under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988.

-- BERNAMA