Second Hand, Foot, And Mouth Disease Fatality Reported: Rayong

[webfact]

DISEASE OUTBREAK

Second HFMD fatality reported

THE NATION

Cambodian boy, 2, dies in Rayong; public hygiene campaigns ordered

RAYONG: -- Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is believed to have claimed its second life in Thailand - a young Cambodian boy living in Rayong.

Rayong Public Health chief Kris Pansuk yesterday identified the victim only as Kimha, aged 2 and a half.

"We suspect that he caught HFMD, mainly because of his symptoms - blisters, high fever and vomiting," Kris said.

The boy developed symptoms on July 21. His parents took him to a clinic twice, the first occasion a few days after he became ill.

"Because his condition did not improve, he was sent to the Klaeng Hospital on Wednesday. Just two hours after he was admitted, he succumbed," Kris said.

He said he had informed Rayong Governor Seni Jitkasen of the death. Major public hygiene operations will take place in Rayong today.

In a related development, Disease Control Department director-general Dr Pornthep Siriwanarangsun yesterday visited the mother of a young girl whose death from hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) last week was the first in Thailand this year.

Earlier this week, experts confirmed the girl died of HFMD, which can spread quickly among young children.

HFMD has already infected at least 16,860 people this year.

"The girl's parents understand the news coverage of their child's death and related information. They are hurt, though, by the fact that some news reports suggest that they brought their daughter to doctors rather too late," Pornthep said.

According to the parents, their daughter developed symptoms on July 15 or 16, and she was immediately rushed to a hospital.

Methaya Chumchuen, the girl's mother, also denied reports that her family sought financial assistance from Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

"It's totally groundless," she said.

She explained that Public Health Minister Witthaya Buranasiri gave her family some cash for merit making.

Witthaya dispatched Pornthep to Methaya's house, which is located in Bangkok.

In the wake of the spread of HFMD, Witthaya called for hygiene campaigns to be implemented beyond schools and nurseries.

"I have ordered that public buses, subway cars, Skytrain carriages, taxis and train stations be cleaned too," he said.

He added that all village public-health volunteers had been instructed to guide people in how to guard against HFMD and how to rapidly detect infections.

Deputy Public Health Minister Surawit Khonsomboon said most HFMD patients could be treated as outpatients and would recover within 10 days.

He warned parents against taking their children on long-haul trips, for example, for the purpose of letting them recuperate in their home provinces.

"Travelling can suppress a patient's immune system. It may also spread the disease," Surawit said.

Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health director Dr Siraporn Sawasdivorn expected the HMFD outbreak to die down next month.

According to the head of the institute's infectious-disease department, more cases of dengue fever have been detected recently than of HFMD.

"The [diseases'] symptoms, such as high fever and vomiting, may be quite similar. But HFMD patients will likely refuse to eat too," Dr Siripen Kalayanarooj said.

The Disease Control Department said dengue fever had already hit 25,351 people and killed 27 of them this year.

Meanwhile, Food and Drug Administration deputy secretary-general Srinuan Kornkotchakorn told people not to believe in widespread rumours that caffeine-mixed drinks would help protect them against the HFMD.

"They are beverages. They are not medicines," Srinuan said.

-- The Nation 2012-07-27

[fareastguy]

Quote:

In the wake of the spread of HFMD, Witthaya called for hygiene campaigns to be implemented beyond schools and nurseries.

"I have ordered that public buses, subway cars, Skytrain carriages, taxis and train stations be cleaned too," he said.

Is that a "once only quick wipe" for appearance sake or a continuous daily routine" ??

[webfact]

No confirmation Cambodian toddler died from hand, foot, mouth disease

BANGKOK, July 27 – Lab tests will shortly pinpoint the cause of the suspicious death of a two-year-old Cambodian boy in Rayong, Thai health authorities promised today, amid unconfirmed reports that the child died from hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD).

Dr Surawit Khonsomboon, deputy public health minister, said that the boy showed symptoms similar to those of hand, foot and mouth disease before dying at Klaeng Hospital in Thailand’s eastern province of Rayong.

Medical investigators are seeking cause of his death and where he had contracted the disease. Physicians said the child had a record of frequent travel to Cambodia. The lab test to determine his death is being conducted by the department of medical sciences.

Several other children having had close contact with the victim have fallen sick. Lab tests have been conducted to determine the cause of their illness.

Meanwhile, in Bangkok, Dr Wongwat Lewlak, head of the Bangkok municipality’s Communicable Diseases Control Division in the Department of Health said that HFMD in the capital Jan1-July 27 was indicated in 3,524 cases.

An added 179 cases were reported Friday, a one-day rise from yesterday. The number is rather high, Dr Wongwat said, but added that he believed the spread of the disease will drop in a few weeks. City Hall is now implementing prevention measures continuously.

“It is good for parents to be alert and take their children to see doctors immediately when they find irregularity,” Dr Wongwat said. “The illness is curable and can be prevented by (using) good hygiene.” (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-07-27

[Norcan]

Takes a little bit more than a wipe with a damp rag to control this.

Additional technology such as can be seen here help on a continuous basis.

[SOTIRIOS]

....cleaning the scene of contamination.......without any masks.....

[h90]

Takes a little bit more than a wipe with a damp rag to control this.

Additional technology such as can be seen here help on a continuous basis.

but to clean a bit can't hurt anyway....

[h90]

....cleaning the scene of contamination.......without any masks.....

Well normally it isn't dangerous to humans. If it would, a dense area like Bangkok would already look like a pest outbrake.

[webfact]

Cambodian toddler in Rayong died of HFMD: Thai expert

BANGKOK, July 27 -- The hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) was the cause of the death of a two-year-old Cambodian boy in Thailand's eastern province of Rayong, according to a senior Public Health Ministry official.

Disease Control Department adviser emeritus Prof Dr Prasert Thongcharoen told reporters that the officials from the Bureau of Epidemiology went to Rayong to investigate the case.

The case however was not complicated as the child had symptoms of HFMD and it was unnecessary to forward the case to the virology experts to diagnose, he said.

According to the Bureau of Epidemiology's investigation, the child stayed in Thailand for a period of time so that the infection occurred in Thailand and not in Cambodia.

Dr Prasert said that he did not want the public to discriminate against children from Cambodia as the disease has no boundary. The epidemic in Cambodia has reportedly eased and it was enterovirus type 71 (EV71) subgenogroup C4.

The expert added that the recent death of a 16-year-old youth at Sa Kaeo was caused by Japanese encephalitis, an endemic disease found in Thailand and neighbouring countries.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said she instructed agencies concerned to promptly respond to contain the spread of the HFMD.

She dismissed criticism that her government covered up the outbreak, saying health officials must thoroughly examine each case before making an official announcement.

The premier said that the officials did not want the public to be alarmed but they should be advised on how to deal with and prevent the disease. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-07-27

[mommysboy]

Clearly, the situation demands an immediate travel ban in and out of Thailand and it should stay in place a full year IMHO.