Nanning Message (reported by Zhang Ruofan) - On April 12, the regional government convened a meeting to discuss the prevention and treatment of hand-foot-mouth disease across the region. As of April 10, Guangxi had reported a cumulative total of 16,468 cases of hand-foot-mouth disease this year. The health department predicts that in the coming months, the epidemic of hand-foot-mouth disease will continue to expand its range.
Child rescue equipment added at the grassroots level
Since March, the incidence of hand-foot-mouth disease has been on the rise nationwide, with the peak of outbreaks occurring earlier than usual. This year, Guangxi has seen a significant increase in both the incidence rate and severe cases compared to last year, with a cumulative total of 16,468 reported cases so far.
According to the requirements of the regional government, mayors and county (district) heads are the first responsible persons for the prevention and control of hand-foot-mouth disease within their jurisdictions. Preparations must be made in terms of personnel, technical equipment, and funding. The government will increase investment to enhance the intensive care capabilities of city and county-level medical institutions, providing designated hospitals with necessary rescue equipment such as pediatric ventilators, thereby improving the treatment capacity of pediatric intensive care units.
Currently, the prevention and control of hand-foot-mouth disease across the region follows a daily reporting system for epidemic situations. Health departments will also incorporate traditional Chinese medicine and Zhuang-Yao medicine into prevention and treatment efforts. Relevant departments will organize inspection teams to supervise the prevention and control work in various cities. For those who neglect or abuse their duties during the handling of the epidemic, or cause serious consequences due to major errors in their work, relevant individuals will be held legally accountable.
Rescuing severe cases is a race against time
Recently, the Nanning Maternal and Child Health Hospital received a critically ill three-year-old child with hand-foot-mouth disease. The previous day, Mr. Zeng, the child's father, noticed that his daughter had a slight fever, so he took her to a clinic in Dashatian where the doctor prescribed some antipyretics. However, on the way home from the clinic, Mr. Zeng noticed that his daughter’s temperature began to rise, reaching 39°C a few hours later. Even after taking antipyretics, the child's temperature did not decrease.
Within less than 24 hours, the child's condition rapidly worsened, progressing from a fever to frequent convulsions of the limbs and loss of consciousness. Mr. Zeng quickly brought his child to the Nanning Maternal and Child Health Hospital where doctors immediately initiated emergency treatment. After full-scale rescue efforts, the child eventually stabilized. Dr. Yan Yunying, director of the hospital's pediatrics department, introduced that this was a typical case of severe hand-foot-mouth disease, developing very quickly with the entire course lasting only one day. If it had been delayed by just a few more hours, there could have been a high possibility of multi-organ failure, leaving medical staff powerless to intervene.
Parents may become potential "sources of toxins"
Director Xie Qingling of the Pediatrics Department at the Regional People's Hospital said that this year's outbreak of hand-foot-mouth disease in Guangxi differs from last year's, being primarily caused by the EV71 virus, which easily leads to severe cases. Severe cases of hand-foot-mouth disease usually present with some early symptoms. Parents having knowledge in this area can gain precious time for their child's treatment.
It was explained that severe cases mostly occur in children under the age of three. Children typically experience persistent high fever with temperatures above 39°C. Since the EV71 virus is a neurotropic virus, it can manifest as neurological symptoms such as convulsions and poor mental state. If a child exhibits these symptoms, it indicates the possibility of developing into a severe case of hand-foot-mouth disease, and parents should immediately take the child to a regular hospital for treatment.
Xie Qingling said that hand-foot-mouth disease is a disease to which the entire population is susceptible, but since children have lower resistance, they are more likely to fall ill. This means that adults could be asymptomatic carriers, not showing symptoms themselves but carrying the virus. Therefore, adults with children at home should pay special attention to personal hygiene, washing hands and face upon returning home, and preferably changing into casual wear before hugging the child, otherwise, they might inadvertently transmit viruses picked up outside to the child.
Loss of appetite in children is a sign of illness
In the prevention and treatment of hand-foot-mouth disease, the role of parents is particularly emphasized. Since most affected are children under five years old, they often cannot express their discomfort well, necessitating vigilant observation by parents who need to check daily for red rashes on the child's hands and feet. If a child has come into contact with other infected children, symptoms usually appear within 3 to 7 days.
Experts explained that although rashes on the hands and feet are typical symptoms of hand-foot-mouth disease, oral rashes actually appear earlier. These oral rashes generally develop near the throat and are hard to notice during routine checks. Parents might find it difficult to detect them. Infants cannot verbally express pain, so parents need to watch out for signs of discomfort. Oral rashes can cause severe pain, making even swallowing saliva painful, leading to refusal of food. Thus, if a child shows difficulty swallowing, refuses to eat, or drools frequently, parents should be alert and check for rashes near the throat inside the child's mouth.