Chiang Rai’s Public Health Office Works to Contain (HFMD) in Local Schools

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CHIANG RAI – The Public Health Office in Chiang Rai province has campaigned with local schools to monitor for hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), after an outbreak infected thousands of children and killed one.

Health officials suspect that the outbreak was caused by Enterovirus 71 (EV71). Children are especially vulnerable to EV71, which can cause severe HFMD.

After thousands of reported cases, the provincial Public Health Office quickly ordered all childcare institutions to sanitize their facilities as well as any school supplies and toys. Mareeruk Chiangrai School said it has performed health checks on their kindergarten classes, which total 497 children.

As a containment measure, parents and guardians are advised to keep infected children at home for bed rest or seek medical attention. Health officials have held lectures and distributed pamphlets for childcare staff and students on basic hygiene and proper sanitation methods for their supplies and equipment at school and at home. – NNT

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