According to Health Direct General, there were 82,846 HFMD cases documented as of June 4th.
As of the last day of epidemiological week (ME) 22/2022 (June 4), a total of 82,846 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) had been reported, according to Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
According to him, this represents a 32-fold increase over the 2,485 instances reported in the same period last year, and a 1.7-fold increase over the 30,489 cases reported in 2019.
However, during ME22/2022 week, a total of 16,954 HFMD cases were reported nationally, a 9.3% drop from the 18,688 cases reported during ME21/2022 week.
Dr. Noor Hisham noted that as of June 4, Selangor had the most HFMD cases, with 23,305 (28.13%), followed by Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya with 9,540 (11.52%), Perak with 8,032 (9.70%), Kelantan with 5,782 (6.98%), and Johor with 5,234 cases (6.32 per cent).
The majority of HFMD cases (90%) occurred in children aged six and under, followed by those aged seven to twelve, with 6,520 cases (8%), and those beyond the age of twelve, with 1,485 cases (two per cent).
According to Dr. Noor Hisham, the three primary viruses responsible for HFMD spread in the community this year were Enterovirus 71 (EV71), Coksackie A6 (CA6), and Coxsackie A16 (CA16).
According to him, three HFMD cases have been admitted to intensive care units so far (ICU).
The first and second cases were admitted to the ICU owing to encephalitis (brain inflammation) and are still being monitored, while the third case has recovered and was released on May 31.
Meanwhile, 1,746 outbreaks were reported throughout Malaysia, with Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya accounting for 562 (32.2%) of the total, Selangor 208 (11.9%), and Sarawak 206. (11.8 per cent).
With 1,059 outbreaks, or 61% of all cases, the majority of disease outbreaks occurred in nurseries, kindergartens, and pre-schools, followed by private houses with 605 outbreaks, or 35%, and daycare centres with 56 outbreaks (three per cent).
Outbreaks occur when two or more cases are documented in the same location, the cases have epidemiological ties, and infection occurs during the HFMD incubation period.
According to Dr. Noor Hisham, 1,346 nurseries, kindergartens, and preschools were closed as of June 4, 305 of which were closed voluntarily and 1,041 under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988.
