MALAYSIA CAUTIOUS DESPITE NO HFMD OUTBREAK

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 25 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is taking precautionary measures
against the hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) amid reports that an outbreak
has taken place in Vietnam, Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai said.

No HFMD outbreak was detected in the country so far but the ministry is
closely monitoring the situation, he said.

"We have HFMD cases but not an outbreak," he told reporters here Thursday.

Last week, World Health Organisation acting representative in Vietnam,
Graham Harrison said the country was now striving to control the outbreak which
claimed the lives of 81 children so far this year.

Liow said Malaysia had the experience in dealing with the disease.

"A clean environment could contain the virus from spreading. When HFMD cases
are detected in schools or kindergartens, we will close them and move in to
carry out a clean up," he said.

Among the HFMD symptoms are rashes and blisters in the mouth, hands and feet
as well as loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea.

In Malaysia, 2,919 HFMD cases have been reported so far, a decrease of 66.7
per cent compared to 8,769 cases in the same period last year.

No death was reported so far this year.