HFMD Update

25 Aug 2008

Question No:  713  

Question

Name of the Person: Mdm Halimah Yacob

To ask the Minister for Health (a) if he will give an update on the hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) situation in view of the recent death of a 3-year-old suspected of dying from the disease; and (b) whether there are sufficient measures in place to protect children from contracting HFMD, especially the more deadly EV71 strain of the disease.

Reply

Reply From MOH

1 Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) is a common childhood infection.  HFMD infections are usually mild.  Nevertheless, when the virus involved is the EV71 strain, it can affect the brain or even result in death, although such a complication is rare. 

2 This year, we experienced a surge of HFMD cases involving EV71 as the predominant circulating strain from late March to early July. The total number of HFMD cases this year has so far exceeded 18,000 cases.   The number of cases peaked in mid April with more than 1400 cases a week, and thereafter it declined steadily to around 500 cases a week by early July and has remained largely so since then.

3 During the outbreak period, a total of 35 preschools and childcare centres were ordered to close while 95 were advised to close so that the premises could be cleaned thoroughly and the chain of transmission within these centres broken.

4 The way to reduce the transmission of HFMD, including EV 71, is to continuously maintain a high standard of personal and environmental hygiene and also to seek medical treatment early when the child is unwell. Parents should also ensure that their children with HFMD have adequate rest and remain at home for the duration of the illness as advised by the doctors.  We have worked closely with MCYS and MOE in educating all childcare, kindergarten and preschool operators on hygiene measures.  My Ministry has also alerted doctors to be vigilant for complications from HFMD as the predominant strain this year is the EV71 strain.