Mongolia Hand-Foot-Mouth Cases Top 1,700

Excerpt from report in English by Mongolian newspaper The UB Post website on 29 May

[by Sh. Batmonh]

Thursday, 29 May: The number of people infected with the highly contagious hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) has reached 1,711, according to the latest figures released by the Ministry of Health.

HFMD, otherwise known as Enterovirus-71, has rapidly spread since the first case was reported three weeks ago and has caused the closure of many schools and some businesses. Children’s Day activities, normally held on 1 June, have also been cancelled under orders from the Mongolian government.

Of the victims, 340 have fully recovered, 215 are in hospital and another 1.200 are receiving medical treatment at home. Ten people are currently in a serious condition due to the virus, according to Dr T. Chimgee, head of the Sukhbaatar district’s state clinic. Chimgee also said that the spread of the disease is still rising in Ulaanbaatar. [passage omitted]

It usually affects infants most severely. The latest figures reveal that 148 children aged under one have the disease, while another 915 children aged one to four years are infected. There are 63 cases of people aged over 20 having the disease, according to the Ministry of Health. Of those with the disease, 839 were male and 867 were female.

Some computer game stores, forced to close under directives from the government, are now beginning to reopen under strict conditions.

[The UB Post reported on 22 May that the number of infections had reached 1,000.]

Originally published by The UB Post website, Ulaanbaatar, in English 29 May 08.

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