SEREMBAN: The Negri Sembilan Health Department has recorded a total of 958 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease in the state since January until April 27 this year.
State Health, Environment, Cooperatives and Consumerism Committee chairman S. Veerapan said for the 17th endemic week (ME) Seremban recorded the highest number of cases with 81 cases, followed by Port Dickson (16), Tampin (13), Jempol (12), Kuala Pilah (10), Rembau (six) and Jelebu (one).
"There are 13 HFMD epidemic still active, namely five in Rembau, three each in Port Dickson and Jempol, and one each in Tampin and Seremban, and all of them involved childcare centres.
"The large number of HFMD cases reported this year in the state is due to the reopening of the education sector and public places,” he said in a statement on Sunday (May 8).
Veerapan said the Health Ministry would continue with efforts to prevent the spread of HFMD apart from monitoring kindergartens and childcare centres.
He said parents or guardians should also constantly monitor the health of their children and not send their children to school or kindergarten if they had symptoms of HFMD such as fever, ulcers in the mouth or blisters on the hands or feet.
On May 5, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah was reported to have said that there was a significant increase in HFMD cases in the country with 22,463 cases reported up to ME 17/2022, an increase of 12.8 times compared to the corresponding ME in 2021 (1,752 cases). - Bernama
