Pattaya Public Health Disease Control Officials have been touring local schools to test students for HFMD. All schools and kindergartens in Pattaya are being targeted.
Hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) is is a contagious viral illness most commonly caused by a virus called coxsackievirus A16. Children under age 10 are most often affected. It is spread from person to person by direct contact with the nasal discharge, saliva, faeces and fluid from the rash of an infected person.
There have been a number of cases of HFMD in the past few months and health officials are keen to keep the outbreak in check by identifying infected individuals and promoting knowledge about public and personal hygiene practices that will help to prevent passing on the virus from one person to another.
