Thai health authorities on alert for HFMD

BANGKOK, July 17 (TNA) - Thai health authorities are on high alert against the hand, foot and mouth disease, particularly the fatal entero virus 71 strain from Cambodia, which has already killed dozens of children. Dr. Sarayuth Uttamangkapong of Thailand's disease prevention office in northeastern Ubon Ratchathani Province says there have been 624 cases of the disease in seven lower northeastern Thai provinces from January 1-June 7, 2012 -- all of which involved infections of the non-virulent CoxA16 strain. He says the Thai Ministry of Public Health has now set up a war room at Sappasit Prasong Hospital in Ubon Ratchathani to monitor the local situation. Meanwhile, in the northern Lampang Province, Dr Sirichai Pataranupaporn, who is the provincial public health chief, says there have been 213 Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease patients of non-fatal strains in all 13 locals districts in the past week, most of them children aged below 5 years old. He maintains however, that the situation in Lampang is still under control. (TNA)