The Ministry of Health has requested municipal and provincial healthdepartments to intensify the struggle against hand-foot-mouth disease,which has killed two children in Vietnam so far this year.

The ministry also urged health centres to tighten inspections andswiftly detect infections in order to prevent the spread of the disease.

Departments have been ordered to prevent combinedinfections of hand-foot-mouth disease with measles, pneumonia and otherrespiratory illnesses.

The ministry called on the populationto ensure personal hygiene by washing hands with soap, cooking foodwell and making sure children wash regularly.

Childrenshowing symptoms of hand-foot-mouth disease should be immediatelyquarantined and brought to a health centre for check-ups and treatment,the ministry said.

The ministry’s Preventive MedicineDepartment said on May 2 that Vietnam has recorded 17,410 cases ofhand-foot-mouth diseases since the beginning of this year.

Although the number of fatalities and infections have dropped comparedwith the same period last year, several localities, such as Ho Chi MinhCity and the southern provinces of Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Ca Mau, have beenhit hard by the disease.

Hand-foot-mouth disease is a viraldisease fairly common in children. It can be caused by a number ofviruses, most commonly the coxsackie virus. The virus can be transmittedthrough nose and throat secretions, the fluid in blisters of infectedpersons, and through stool.-VNA