HFM cases in Bangkok double this year

BANGKOK, July 29 (TNA) - The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) reports that patients of the hand, foot and mouth (HFM) disease in the Thai capital has doubled this year, 85 per cent of whom are children under five years old. Dr. Wongwat Liewlak, Director of the Communicable Disease Control Division, under the BMA's Department of Health, told journalists on Tuesday, citing latest statistics gathered during the first seven months of this year, that HFM cases in Bangkok have reached 4,695, a double increase from the corresponding period of last year, but no deaths have been reported yet. Dr. Wongwat noted that there are, normally, more HFM cases during the rainy season, with children aged under five being the most risk group of the HFM disease. According to the senior physician, more HFM cases were latest reported in Bangkok's Klong Sam Wa and Phra Khanong areas. The senior physician suggested that measures to prevent and contain HFM outbreaks be focused on screening young students at schools with those showing suspicious symtoms be separated for further medical check-ups Besides, all schools should strictly take precautions by always keeping their buildings, compounds, classrooms and other shared equipment, toys and facilities hygienic, as the HFM disease is normally transmitted through saliva. Meanwhile, Dr. Wantanee Wattana, Director of the BMA's Health Department, recommended that a school be temporarily closed for a big clean-up with disinfectant if more than two classrooms in each class have students infected with the HFM disease. (TNA)