GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- The Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a department of the Sint Maarten Ministry of Public Health, Social Development & Labour, is calling on the community and in particular parents and guardians, day care centers and play schools, are advised to take preventive measures to mitigate Hand Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) cases, and therefore take extra measures to prevent HFMD such as washing of hands often with soap and water.
HFMD is a common viral illness that usually affects infants and children who are 10-years of age or younger. It can sometimes occur in adults. There is no vaccine to protect against the viruses that cause hand, foot, and mouth disease.
Persons with symptoms should consult their family physician and take necessary measures in order to mitigate an increase in cases.
Symptoms of HFMD include cold-like conditions, fever, mouth sores, loss of appetite, cough, and a skin rash; a non-itchy red rash that develops on the hand and the feet, and sometimes the rash can develop into painful blisters; painful mouth ulcers.
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is spread from person to person through nose and throat secretions (such as saliva, sputum, or nasal mucus), blister fluid, or stool of infected persons. When handling secretions it is advisable to apply the necessary preventive measures.
To lower your risk of being infected with hand, foot and mouth disease, wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after changing diapers and using the toilet; disinfecting dirty surfaces and soiled items, including toys. First, wash the items with soap and water, and then disinfect them with a solution of chlorine bleach; and avoiding close contact such as kissing, hugging, thumb-sucking, nail-chewing or sharing eating utensils or cups with infected persons.
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is not the same as foot and mouth disease, which affects cattle, sheep, and pigs. The two infections are unrelated, and you cannot catch hand, foot and mouth disease from animals.
If your child or you have any of these symptoms, consult your family physician.
For more information, you can call CPS 542-2078 or 542-3003 or send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. document.getElementById('cloakd0e2c0dd639fe41ee619c78ecd02578d').innerHTML = ''; var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; var addyd0e2c0dd639fe41ee619c78ecd02578d = 'surveillance' + '@'; addyd0e2c0dd639fe41ee619c78ecd02578d = addyd0e2c0dd639fe41ee619c78ecd02578d + 'sintmaartengov' + '.' + 'org'; var addy_textd0e2c0dd639fe41ee619c78ecd02578d = 'surveillance' + '@' + 'sintmaartengov' + '.' + 'org';document.getElementById('cloakd0e2c0dd639fe41ee619c78ecd02578d').innerHTML += ''+addy_textd0e2c0dd639fe41ee619c78ecd02578d+''; or to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. document.getElementById('cloak6e43787f4c7a8d57b2341371d3f1162a').innerHTML = ''; var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; var addy6e43787f4c7a8d57b2341371d3f1162a = 'sectionpep' + '@'; addy6e43787f4c7a8d57b2341371d3f1162a = addy6e43787f4c7a8d57b2341371d3f1162a + 'yahoo' + '.' + 'com'; var addy_text6e43787f4c7a8d57b2341371d3f1162a = 'sectionpep' + '@' + 'yahoo' + '.' + 'com';document.getElementById('cloak6e43787f4c7a8d57b2341371d3f1162a').innerHTML += ''+addy_text6e43787f4c7a8d57b2341371d3f1162a+''; .
CPS Press Release
Source: St. Martin News Network
http://www.smn-news.com/st-maarten-st-martin-news/27514-cps-advises-community-to-take-preventive-measures-to-prevent-hand-foot-and-mouth-disease.html
