Disease spread at schools 'natural'

By Wu Yiyao (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-03-10 09:23

Parents and children need not panic about hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) despite recent reported cases of minor epidemics at some nursery schools, an expert claims.

"There is no need for panic as HFMD is not fatal and it fixes itself," said a health consultant surnamed Wang with Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The expert opinion comes after a small number of epidemics were reported in some nursery schools and kindergartens in early March. The names of the schools and kindergartens remain unannounced.

Zhao Tao, associate counselor with the Beijing municipal health bureau, said the recent increase in disease cases is normal.

"HFMD often occurs in small epidemics at nursery schools and kindergartens from May to July in Beijing," he said.

Zhao advised schools and parents to pay specific attention to cleanliness, and not to be too concerned about the apparent increase in case frequency.

"When the normal quantity of reported cases is low, any growth appears as huge. However, this increase is mild and definitely not a surge," Zhao said. HFMD usually affects children under 10 years old and is caused by a combination of intestinal viruses and infection.

Wang said the disease usually begins with a fever, loss of appetite, mouth ulcers and a sore throat.

"There is no specific treatment for HFMD," Wang said. She also said that washing hands and drinking plenty of fluids were good ways to prevent infection.

The disease is spread through the transfer of fluids from infected people. Currently, there is no vaccine to protect against the viruses and HFMD does not affect animals, Wang said.

As many as 48 HFMD cases were reported in the last week of February, according to the latest epidemic report on the website of the health bureau. That figure was 200 percent more than the week before.