DOH confirms mild EV-71 infection in a one-year old boy

The public is urged to remain vigilant as Secretary of Health Enrique Ona today confirmed Enterovirus-71 infection in one of several suspected hand, foot and mouth disease cases reported to the Department of Health.

Secretary Ona announced the results done on eight suspected HFMD patients reported to the DOH from July 10 to 14. Screening and confirmatory tests were done at the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine on throat, stool or vesicular fluid collected from these cases.

There was one female among the suspected HFMD cases. Age ranged from one year to 29 years. Six came from Region IV-A and two were from Davao.

These patients had mild disease and had skin lesions in the hand, feet and, mouth. Five were admitted in the hospital while the rest were sent home. Four of those who were admitted already went home after a brief stay in the wards.

Of the eight suspected HFMD, six tested positive for the screening test. After the confirmatory test, all but one was negative for EV-71. These will be further tested for Coxsackie A16, which is also associated with HFMD.

Sec. Ona confirmed that a one-year and seven-month old boy from Davao City tested positive for the EV-71. The boy developed fever and rashes on his hands, soles of feet mouth, and buttocks last July 6. The boy had no history of travel outside the country. A consultation was sought at a local health facility. He was sent home and has since recovered very well. No other cases were reported in their household nor in the community.

Meanwhile, physicians representing hospitals in Metro Manila and Medical Societies met today at the DOH National Epidemiology Center for an orientation on the Guidelines in the Surveillance and Clinical Case Management of HFMD.

"Prevention relies on individual personal hygiene and hand washing; shared toys or teaching tools in daycare should be cleaned, washed and disinfected as they easily become contaminated, " Secretary Ona said. - Official Gazette — ARA