As the hand, foot and mouth disease is now spreading in all the country’s 77 provinces, the Ministry of Public Health today warned parents and teachers to take care of their children and students to help prevent contacting the diseases.
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a common viral illness that usually affects infants and children younger than 5 years old.
The disease can be transmitted through direct contact with unwashed hands or a surface containing traces of the virus. It is a highly contagious infection.
Symptoms of the disease hand include fever, mouth sores, and a skin rash.
According to the Minister of Public Health, Dr Piyaskol Skolsattayathorn, there were more than 20,000 hand, foot, and mouth disease patients in 77 provinces from 1 January to June this year with a death toll of one. Most of the patients were in the northern region, followed by the central, northern and southern regions respectively, The NNT reported.
He said more than 70% of the patients are small children aged 1 – 3 years.
He said the ministry has instructed the public health officers nationwide to ask child development centers and kindergartens in their area to continuously control the disease in order to prevent more infections.
The best way to prevent the hand, foot, and mouth disease is to keep oneself clean and wash hands often, especially after using the toilette and before eating, according to the minister.
