In a statement today, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya health department director Dr Nor’ Aishah Abu Bakar said that 6,197 HFMD cases were recorded up until the epidemiological week 20 (EW20), which ended on May 21. Only 403 cases were recorded during the same period last year.

Meanwhile, 1,163 HFMD cases were recorded in the two federal territories during EW20 (May 15-21), a 2.2% increase from the 1,138 cases recorded during EW19 (May 8-14).

She added that there had also been a 12-fold increase in the number of clusters reported in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya since the start of the year, with 408 reported up until EW20 this year compared with only 32 reported as of EW20 last year.

Meanwhile, Bernama reported that there has been a sharp increase in HFMD cases in Labuan, with 443 cumulative cases recorded in the first five months of the year compared with just seven cases in the corresponding period last year.

“We are worried about the sudden spike in cases among school children, coupled with the increase in dengue cases,” Labuan health director Dr Ismuni Bohari was quoted as saying.

Last week, health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said that 31,661 HFMD cases were recorded nationwide up to EW19 this year, compared with 2,121 cases during the same period last year.