Rayong could be made disaster zone
An investigation by the Epidemiology Bureau has concluded that a Cambodian boy who died in Rayong this week succumbed to hand, foot and mouth disease, Dr Prasert Thongcharoen said yesterday. The victim, aged two and a half years, became the second HFMD fatality in Thailand this year."This case is clearcut. We do not need to wait for a meeting of virologists to determine the cause of his death," Prasert said in his capacity as an adviser to the Disease Control Department.
Rayong public health chief Kris Palasut said separately, however, that the Medical Sciences Department was conducting a detailed lab test on the young boy's case.
"The results will be released within two weeks," he said as largescale public health campaigns started in his province.
Prasert said the young Cambodian had lived in Rayong for quite a long time. He urged the public not to discriminate against Cambodians.
Kris said three children who were close to the boy were being closely monitored. Deputy Public Health Minister Surawit Khonsomboon said the parents of these children had been given advice and the children tested to determine whether they had been infected.
In Rayong, 384 people have come down with HFMD this year.
"The number of HFMD cases is rising. If we are unable to control the outbreak of the disease, we may have to declare the province as a disaster area," he said...
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/No-doubt-Cambodian-boy-died-of-HFMD-30187159.html
