KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 — Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said today that a total of 51,147 hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) cases have been reported nationwide since the start of this year to date.
The most number of reported cases were from Sarawak, which contributed 12.1 per cent or 6,209 cases to the national figure.
“The bulk of the cases reported were in Kuching with 1,387 cases. Presently the ministry has closed six daycare centres, two kindergartens, and a classroom in two schools in the state,” he said in the Dewan Rakyat.
Dzulkefly was responding to Bandar Kuching MP Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen, who requested the number of HFMD cases reported in his state, as well as the steps taken by the ministry in identifying which schools or daycare centres have to be closed down due to the disease.
“Alongside reports obtained from the hospitals, we have also gone on ground to identify such cases. Generally we are alerted to such instances based on our continuous monitoring of the field,” the minister said.
