Sarawak records drop in HFMD cases

SIBU: Sarawak recorded a drop in the cumulative hand, mouth and foot disease (HFMD) cases so far this year with the public advised not to be complacent but continue taking precautionary measures.

Sarawak Health Department in a press statement here yesterday disclosed there were 3,514 cases recorded until epidemiology (epid) Week 27 (July 8) this year, compared to 6,432 cases in the same period last year.

“Although there is a drop in terms of number of cases this year (in Sarawak), weekly cases recorded in the past weeks are higher than that of the weekly cases for 2017, necessitating the public to be vigilant and take precautionary measures so that the HFMD situation will not breach the alert line,?the department said, adding the HFMD situation in Sarawak is currently below the warning level.

Kuching Division recorded the most cases until epid Week 27 with 996 cases followed by Miri (758), Sibu (378), Bintulu (288), Serian (202), Mukah (193), Samarahan (185), Limbang (143), Sri Aman (133), Betong (87), Kapit (83) and Sarikei (68).

The department also revealed that 23 schools/kindergartens had been closed till EW27, 2018 but all of the institutions had since been reopened.