Sharp increase in HFMD cases this year, senate told

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29 (Bernama) -- Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) cases registered a sharp increase to 55,860 between Jan 1 and Aug 27 this year compared to the 25,070 cases in the corresponding period of last year, the Dewan Negara was told today.

Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye said these included the 3,767 cases reported in Penang, 2,388 in Negeri Sembilan and 875 in Terengganu.

Replying to a question from Senator Datuk Abdul Ghani Mohamed Yassin on the latest number of HFMD cases in the country, Dr Lee said almost 89 per cent of the reported cases involved children under seven years of age.

He said two children had died of the disease, one of them in Sarawak and the other in Penang.

-- BERNAMA