The state government will decide this week whether to close kindergartens and nurseries in Selangor in view of the worrying HFMD outbreak in the state!
According to a message from Selangor State Minister Datuk Seri Amiruddin, the state government will soon hold a special meeting with the Selangor Health Department to discuss the closure of kindergartens and nurseries.
Selangor has accumulated 6748 cases of HFMD so far, and the cases have exceeded the alert level. Four percent of these cases were sent to hospitals for treatment, while the rest were treated on an outpatient basis and there have been no deaths.
Of the 118 clusters of HFMD infections, 95 were from nurseries, kindergartens and care centers.
HFMD is an infectious disease caused by a variety of gastrointestinal viruses, the main viruses of HFMD are Enterovirus 71 (EV71) and Coxsackievirus A16 (Ca16).
The initial symptoms of HFMD are herpes on the extremities and mouth, fever, anorexia and sore throat. In a few severe cases, encephalitis, encephalomyelitis, meningitis, and circulatory failure are complications. The incubation period of HFMD is generally 3 to 6 days, and most patients with mild disease will recover within 7 to 10 days after acute onset.
HFMD is transmitted through close personal contact, saliva, nasal mucus, sputum, skin blisters, and fecal infections, respectively. People with low resistance, children/infants under 10 years of age and pregnant women are the most affected groups.
People should pay attention to personal hygiene, avoid sharing personal items and utensils, maintain good dietary habits, wash hands regularly, and avoid cross-infection with patients.
