Students washing their hands before entering a tuition centre in Penang. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star
ALTHOUGH the number of cases of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) has declined, medical professionals are urging parents to be vigilant as the virus remains prevalent within the community.
Family medicine specialist Dr Mastura Mohd Sopian said parents should look for signs such as fever, mouth ulcers or a rash before sending their children to school.
Gooi: Penang saw a peak in HFMD cases in epidemiology week 19, with 1,152 cases recorded,.“Children must make it a habit to wash hands after playtime, after using the toilet, before eating and after coughing or sneezing,” said Dr Mastura of Universiti Sains Malaysia’s (USM) Advanced Medical and Dental Institute.
“Provide them with their own water bottle, utensils and towel.
“Also, remind them not to put their hands in their mouths unnecessarily,” she said.
HFMD is a common infection caused by a group of enteroviruses. It typically begins with a fever and a general feeling of being unwell, followed a day or two later by flat, discoloured spots or bumps that may blister.
These usually appear on the hands, feet and mouth, and occasionally on the buttocks and groin.
In recent weeks, some schools have reportedly shifted certain classrooms to online lessons due to the spread of HFMD cases.
Dr Mastura said schools must adhere to cleaning protocols, enforce sick-child exclusion policies and promptly notify parents if any child fell ill.
“Children should cover their mouths and nose when coughing or sneezing, and dispose of used tissues properly.
Dr Mastura: Schools must adhere to cleaning protocols.“Parents should also disinfect frequently touched surfaces such as toys, tables, doorknobs and bedding,” she added.
If a child shows symptoms or feels unwell, it is best to isolate them, Dr Mastura said.
“Keep your children at home and take them to a doctor for diagnosis and advice.
“Inform the school teacher in case other children may also be infected.
“Monitor your child for complications such as high fever, drowsiness or breathing difficulties.
“Children with symptoms should remain at home until they have fully recovered. This means until the blisters have dried and there is no fever.
“Do not share cups, utensils, towels or bedding with someone who has HFMD,” she reminded.
Dr Mastura also encouraged parents to teach their children to speak up if they felt unwell, especially during class.
Rachel Ng, who runs a chain of after-school care centres, said two common habits among children were rubbing their eyes and wearing face masks improperly.
She said these could increase the risk of infection and make it harder to contain outbreaks.
“We keep reminding the children not to do so.
“When they wear masks, sometimes the mask slips down and does not cover the nose.
“We have to tell them to wear them correctly,” she said, adding that her centres check their children’s temperatures twice a day.
“If someone has a fever, we isolate them and call the parents to pick them up,” said Ng.
The centres hold a weekly assembly to remind the children of the “do’s and don’ts” of good hygiene, and rewards are given to those who adopt such practices.
Penang health committee chairman Daniel Gooi said that as of epidemiology week (EW) 31 this year, Penang had recorded a total of 15,824 HFMD cases.
For EW31 alone, he said Penang had 265 cases, a 27.4% drop compared to EW30, which recorded 365 cases.
“We saw a peak in HFMD cases at EW19, with 1,152 cases recorded, but the numbers have since declined gradually,” he said.
Gooi said the state Health Department would be informed when schools in Penang reported an outbreak of HFMD or the chickenpox.
“According to the Health Ministry’s directive, an outbreak is defined as two or more cases in the same locality within the disease’s incubation period.
“For schools or kindergartens, an outbreak refers to two or more cases with within a two-week interval that are epidemiologically linked,” he explained.
Gooi stressed that when a suspected outbreak is reported, it is important to ensure that infected children stay away from the institution for at least 10 days after the onset of symptoms.
He said the children must also be certified as free from infection by a registered medical practitioner before returning to school.
“Active case detection will be conducted among close contacts at the institution and within the affected child’s family.
“All symptomatic individuals will be referred to the nearest health clinic for treatment,” he added.
