Vigilance against Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) and Acute Gastroenteritis (AGE)

Dear Parents,

The Centre for Health Protection ( CHP) of the Department of Health has  reported an increase in cases of Hand Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) and Acute Gastroenteritis in recent weeks in Hong Kong.

HFMD is a viral infection commonly seen in children. The infection can occur throughout the year but the disease activity is usually peak from May to July in Hong Kong. Common symptoms are fever, sore throat and skin rash over the hands and feet. Although the illness is self-limiting in most cases, some cases especially those caused by EV71 may be associated with complications like myocarditis, encephalitis or poliomyelitis-like paralysis.

Acute gastroenteritis is usually caused by norovirus or rotavirus infection. It is highly contagious and can be transmitted by consumption of contaminated food, contact with the vomitus or excreta of infected persons, contaminated objects and aerosol spread with contaminated droplets of splashed vomitus. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fever and malaise. Although infections are usually mild and self-limiting, they are highly infectious and may result in outbreaks that are difficult to control. It is a frequent cause of outbreaks in institutions. Such outbreaks may occur throughout the year but are known to occur more frequently in winter months.

To prevent outbreaks of communicable diseases, students/children who develop skin rash, fever, diarrhea or vomiting are strongly advised not to attend school and should seek medical advice. Please remind your child to observe good personal, food and environmental hygiene. For details, please refer to the Guidelines of Prevention of Communicable Diseases in School.

For the latest information on communicable diseases, please visit CHP’s webpages below:
HFMD and EV71 infection (http://www.chp.gov.hk/en/view_content/16354.html)
Acute diarrhoeal diseases (http://www.chp.gov.hk/en/content/9/24/10.html)

Joyce Yetman