HFMD cases on the rise in Labuan

LABUAN, June 8 (Bernama) -- Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) cases have soared in the duty-free-island here, with 240 cases recorded in the first five and a half months of this year, compared to 270 cases throughout last year.

The new cases were in Tadika Ayu Gemilang with four cases reported on May 23. One kindergarten was ordered to be closed last month.

The cases started rising in early March (on the ninth week of 2018), with 17 cases recorded before shooting up to 21 in April (15th week) and down to 11 cases this week.

"We have witnessed an increase in  the trend in this communicable disease, and we believe the outbreak started from the beginning of the recent long public holiday," Labuan Health director Dr Ismuni Bohari told Bernama today.

Before this, Sabah Health director Datuk Dr Christina Rundi on June 6 had said up to 940 cases of HFMD had been recorded in the state as of the middle of last month - an increase of 27 per cent as compared to the same period last year.

She said the state capital registered the highest number of cases at 250, followed by Beaufort (148), Sandakan (111), Penampang (109), Tawau (63), Kuala Penyu (40), Tuaran (35) and Putatan (31).

--BERNAMA