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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health has called on people to guard against Enterovirus-71 (EV-71) following the confirmation today (September 5) of a case involving a one-year-old boy.
EV-71 is a viral infection usually found among young children. It is also one of the causative agents for hand-foot-mouth disease.
A CHP spokesman said the boy developed symptoms of fever, oral ulcer and rash on hands and feet on August 31 and consulted a private doctor. He did not go to hospital and has now fully recovered. Laboratory result of stool sample collected from the boy was positive for EV-71.
The boy did not have any travel history during the incubation period. His five home contacts did not have any symptoms.
Ten other children, six boys and four girls aged from 5 to 17-month-old, attending the same day care centre as the patient had developed hand-foot-mouth symptoms from August 19 to 31. Seven of them have recovered and others are in stable condition. The centre is being put under CHP's medical surveillance.
The spokesman said as hand-foot-mouth disease was transmitted by direct contact with nose and throat discharges, people should be vigilant against the disease and observe the following preventive measures:
* Wash hands before eating and after going to toilet and changing diapers;
* Cover mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing;
* Maintain good ventilation;
* Thoroughly clean toys or appliances which are contaminated by nasal or oral secretions.
Parents should seek medical advice if their children develop symptoms of hand-foot-mouth disease.
Children suffering from the infection should stay at home and avoid contacting other children until they have recovered.
This is the ninth case of EV-71 infection reported to CHP in 2007. There were 35, 8 and 16 cases of EV-71 infections reported in 2004, 2005 and 2006 respectively.
For more information, people may visit the CHP's website (http://www.chp.gov.hk) or call the Central Health Education Hotline 2833 0111.
Ends/Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Issued at HKT 20:01
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