Hand, foot and mouth disease, 5.9 cases per 1,000 infants and young children... It is important to refrain from going to the hospital and wash your hands.

As the hand, foot, and mouth disease epidemic season approaches, caution is required for families with infants, daycare centers, and kindergartens. According to Cheongju City on the 12th, the proportion of suspected patients with hand, foot, and mouth disease in the Chungbuk region decreased from 3.6 per 1,000 outpatients in the 19th week (1st week of May) to 0 per 1,000 outpatients in the 22nd week (4th week of May) and is currently maintaining a stable level. However, nationwide, as of the 22nd week, the pseudo-patient rate was 4.3 per 1,000 outpatients, showing an increase for three consecutive weeks. In particular, the rate for infants and toddlers aged 0 to 6 was relatively high at 5.9 per 1,000 people (week 22). A suspected patient is a person who is suspected of having an infectious disease pathogen invading the human body, but has not yet been confirmed as an infectious disease patient. Hand, foot and mouth disease is usually prevalent between June and September. In North Chungcheong Province, the number of patients began to increase rapidly in June of last year, peaking at 29.1 per 1,000 outpatients in the third week of July, and then decreasing after September. Hand, foot and mouth disease is an acute viral disease caused by enterovirus infection. The main symptoms are fever, blisters and ulcers in the mouth, and blistering rash on the hands and feet. Most people recover after 7 to 10 days, but in rare cases, it can lead to complications such as meningitis and encephalitis. It is easily spread through secretions such as saliva, nasal discharge, blisters, or contaminated objects, and there is currently no preventive vaccine. For prevention, you should wash your hands with soap under running water for at least 30 seconds after going out, after defecation, and before and after eating. Items that children frequently touch, such as toys and door handles, should also be disinfected regularly. If suspicious symptoms appear, you should immediately seek medical attention and refrain from attending hospitals or using multi-use facilities for the first week of the disease. Bang Bang-ran, director of Cheongju Sangdang Public Health Center, said, “As there is a high possibility that hand, foot, and mouth disease will lead to a mass outbreak, if any suspicious symptoms appear, please stop attending the hospital immediately and seek medical attention from a specialist.”