Hand, foot and mouth disease outbreak in Malaysia: More than 65,000 cases reported

According to a follow-up examination of the outbreak, 65,535 HFMD cases have been reported in Malaysia as of May 28th. This is a 27-fold increase when compared to the same period in 2021 (during COVID-19). Since the beginning of COVID-19, there has been a more than twofold rise in incidence.

WP Kuala Lumpur & Putrajaya had the second-highest percentage of cases (12.34 percent), followed by Selangor with 18,525 cases (28.27 percent), Perak with 5,810 cases (8.87%), Kelantan with 4,905 cases (7.48 percent), and Sabah with 4,077 cases (6.22 percent).

There were 59,831 instances of HFMD recorded in children 6 years of age and below (91%), and 4,593 cases (7%) in children 7 to 12 years of age.

Coxsackie A16 (CA16) and Coxsackie A6 (CA6), as well as Enterovirus 71, were found to be the primary vectors of HFMD in the community in 2022 by enterovirus surveillance (EV71). There have been three (3) HFMD cases admitted to the Intensive Care Unit so far in 2022. (ICU). EV71 infection was verified in the first and second patients who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) due to encephalitis symptoms. Due to surveillance following abdominal surgery, this third patient was taken to an ICU. On the 27th of May 2022, this third patient was already moved to a surgical ward where they can be better monitored. Currently, the first and second patients are being closely monitored in the intensive care unit (ICU).

A total of 1,505 outbreaks have been reported in Malaysia thus far, with WPKL & Putrajaya accounting for 502 outbreaks (33.4 percent), followed by Selangor with 172 outbreaks (11.4 percent), and Perak with 168 outbreaks (11.2 percent). There were 913 outbreaks in kindergartens, kindergartens, and pre-schools (61%), followed by 526 outbreaks in private homes (35%), and 51 outbreaks in day-care centres (3 percent). During the incubation period of HFMD, outbreaks appear to be aggravated.