KUALA BERANG, May 11 (Bernama) — The Terengganu Health Department (JKNT) recorded a total of 782 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) from Jan 1 to May 7 this year.
Its director, Datuk Dr Kasemani Embong, said the number was a sharp increase of over 700 per cent, as only 95 cases were recorded in the corresponding period last year.
She added that the majority of cases involved children aged six and below who were placed in nurseries in the state.
“A total of 19 childcare centres have been identified as the cause of the outbreak. However, none of them was closed as we managed to contain the spread of the disease,” she said after officiating the ‘Gerak Gempur Cakna Ubat’ programme here today.
Dr Kasemani said following an investigation it was found that the failure to take preventive measures or ensure hygiene in the nurseries had been the reasons for the HFMD spread.
Therefore, she reminded all nursery and childcare centre operators to further improve hygiene level including carrying out sanitation at the beginning and end of the operating hours to avoid a recurrence of HFMD cases.
“There must be cooperation between parents and nursery operators. If the children have symptoms, do not send them to the nursery and the nursery operators should not accept HFMD-infected children,” she said.
In a separate development, she said during the festive period, COVID-19 cases in the state had reduced and was under control at around 40 cases per day.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency