Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease in Hong Kong

When you think of a disease outbreak, many people would likely assume that it would begin with those among us with the weakest immune systems. Yes, children and the elderly are especially susceptible to infectious disease, which is why extra precautions are always taken in schools, medical facilities, nursing homes and other locations where these demographics tend to congregate.  We even go so far as to reserve strategic stockpiles of certain medications, such as flu vaccines, for these groups. However, recently an outbreak took place in Hong Kong in one of the most unlikely places: A police station. Here, Pacific Prime examines the incident in question, and provides general information about the disease so that you can do your best to protect yourself and your family from it.

HF&M in the HKPD

It was reported by the South China Morning Post on August 4^th, 2016 that 27 police officers in the Sham Shui Po police station had come down with a case of hand, foot & mouth disease. This was especially amazing in that the disease, which is quite a bit more commonly found in children, was contracted by so many adults at one time. Since then, the station has gone through a thorough sterilization, and has been working closely with the Centre for Health Protection to inform people about the nature of the disease.

Oddly enough, this is not the first time the Hong Kong police force has had a run-in with hand, foot and mouth. In August of 2015, 21 recruits at the Hong Kong police college contracted the disease from the gym and pool facilities there. And it’s not as if the disease has not been an issue for the city in general as of late. In early June of this year, the disease had already been seen in 241 separate outbreaks at various educational and child care centers. Clearly, hand, foot and mouth should be a concern for people in Hong Kong, so let’s take a closer look at the disease, as well as how you can protect yourself and your loved ones from it.

The low down on hand, foot and mouth

For those that don’t know, hand, foot and mouth disease is a virus that causes fever, a skin rash, and sores in the mouth or on feet, hands, legs or buttocks. Again, it is usually found in infants and children under the age of 5, but, clearly, it can still affect adults as well. While the sores that develop can be painful, the disease itself normally only lasts a little longer than a week. Other symptoms of the disease include sore throat and blisters.  Also, it should be noted that sometimes there are no symptoms, or the experienced symptoms can be quite weak.

As common as hand, foot and mouth disease can be in some areas, it should come as no surprise that doctors are usually able to diagnose the disease without even running any lab tests. They can make an accurate diagnosis merely by noting symptoms and observing sores and blisters.

Treatment and prevention

Treatment for hand, foot and mouth disease doesn’t usually involve prescription medicine of any kind. Typically the disease will be defeated by a person’s own immune system, and time is the main thing a person needs to overcome it. However, there are steps that can be taken to reduce discomfort caused by the disease. Lots of cool fluids should be drank to help ease sore throat. Likewise, spicy or highly acidic foods and drinks should be avoided. Over the counter drugs can be used to control fever and pain, but aspirin should, of course, not be given to children. Instead, use ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

To know how to defend yourself against hand, foot and mouth disease, we must note how it is transmitted, which is primarily through coughing and sneezing, or coming into contact with infected people, stool, blister fluid or contaminated surfaces. It is also known to be transmitted via fecal matter, as people change diapers or children do not properly wash their hands after using the bathroom.  Another one of the best defenses against the spread of hand, foot and mouth is to make sure that anyone infected with it reduces their interactions with the public as much as possible. The disease is most likely to be spread during the first week of infection, so staying home during this time is a good idea. Other preventive measures include regular hand washing for both the infected and anyone who comes in contact with them, regular disinfection of commonly used surfaces and items, and wearing a surgical mask.

Most cases of hand, foot and mouth disease will not cause any serious harm to the patient, but, as we have covered above, the virus is incredibly contagious, so great care must be taken to prevent its spread after it is contracted. While treatment can be routine, it is still a good idea to have a quality health insurance plan in place to cover the costs of medical treatment. This is especially true for those who may find themselves needing to seek medical assistance while abroad. For these people, the International Health Insurance plans provided by Pacific Prime Hong Kong can provide the comprehensive medical coverage you want anywhere in the world. Contact us today for more information.