Officials in Rayong are
working to stem the spread of hand, foot and mouth disease.
Patcharapol Panrak
Rayong officials launched a large-scale cleanup after
nearly 400 people were diagnosed with hand, foot and mouth disease,
including a Cambodian toddler who later died.
The July 27 operation, which stressed the importance of
maintaining personal hygiene to prevent further spread of the Enterovirus 71
illness, saw the disinfecting of toys and school equipment. Students were
also educated on the disease, with hopes they would pass the information on
to their families. Most HFMD victims are children.
The Cambodian child, 2-year-old Kimha, died at Klaeng
Hospital July 26 after being ill for about five days. He’d been seen twice
at a local clinic, which failed to correctly diagnose the disease. The boy’s
play friends are under watch to determine if they also contracted the
disease, which reports that one indeed is.
More than 16,800 people in Thailand have been diagnosed
with HFMD, including 384 discovered in Rayong and 98 in Chantaburi. In
Rayong, about 20 cases per day are being reported.
Krit Pansuthi of the Rayong Public Health Office said
village chiefs and community leaders have been asked to help check area
children for telltale symptoms of the disease, such as rash or red spots.
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a common viral illness
that usually affects infants and children younger than 5 years old. However,
it can sometimes occur in adults. Symptoms include fever, blister-like sores
in the mouth, and a skin rash. The disease is caused by viruses that belong
to the Enterovirus group, which includes polioviruses, coxsackieviruses,
echoviruses, and enteroviruses. The current outbreak is caused by
Enterovirus 71.
