BANGKOK, 1 August 2012 – The Thai Health Ministry has announced that the hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) outbreak in the country has been gradually easing.
Permanent Secretary for Public Health Dr. Paijit Warachit revealed on Tuesday that, after constant monitoring, the Ministry has found signs of continued reduction in the spread of HFMD in the country.
According to Dr. Paijit, the number of HFMD in the northern region has increased from June’s record of 1,200 per week to 2,000 per week around 2 weeks ago, before dropping to 800 per week now.
The Permanent Secretary for Public Health has expressed his confidence that the spread of the disease will decrease more considerably within 6 weeks from now.
However, Dr. Paijit said that he has still urged all related provincial governor to continue the sanitation of all infected areas and the promotion of hygienic habits among young children.
In addition, he has urged parents with children who have high fever to immediately seek medication attention, particularly after there has been a report of an increase in the spread of dengue fever, which shares preliminary conditions with HFMD.
Dr. Paijit said that there have been more than 26,000 people diagnosed with dengue fever and 27 deaths from the infection since the beginning of this year.
