by TMR / pic by TMR FILE

MALAYSIA saw a 36-fold increase in the hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) cases from Jan 1 until June 11 this year.

Up to 95,924 HFMD cases were detected during the period, according to the Health Ministry, up from 30,880 cases in the pre-pandemic year.

Ninety percent of the total infections were detected among children aged below six years old with 86,230 cases, followed by seven to 12 years old. Only 2% of the total cases were reported among children aged above 12.

However, the ministry said that compared to the height of the infections reported in Week 21, there is a 22.9% decline in HFMD cases with 13,080 in Week 23 (until June 11).

Selangor reported the highest number of cases with 26,799 or 27.9% of total infections to date, followed by Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya with 10,739 cases (11.2%), Perak with 9,744 cases (10.2%), Johor with 6,326 cases (6.6%) and Kelantan 6,153 cases (6.4%).

“Three major viruses that contributed to the rises in HFMD cases were Enterovirus 71 (EV71), Coxsackie A6 (CA6) and Coxsackie A16 (CA16),” the ministry said.

However, only three HFMD cases were treated in the intensive care unit, with two involving encephalitis.