Satit Chula suspends classes after students infected with HFMD
Satit Chula in Pathumwan district has suspended classes from today until Friday after a number of students became infected with hand, foot and mouth disease.
The suspension came after an unspecified number of Grade 1 and 2 students were diagnosed with the disease, Asst Prof Chalermpol Daoruang, deputy director, said.
The temporary closure is intended to help halt the spread of the contagious disease among students and school staff as well as to allow the infected children to rest and receive medical treatment.
The school which is on Phya Thai Road has a total of 1,500 primary students in Grades 1-6 and will resume classes on Monday, he said.
In a related development, the virus carriers of the hand, foot and mouth disease currently affecting Thailand are different from the past and several types and strains of the virus have been identified, Chulalongkorn Hospital clinical virology expert Yong Phuworawan said.
The HFMD usually found in the country was commonly caused by Enterovirus 71 and Coxsackie virus A16, which are not severe virus carriers, Dr Yong explained.
The ongoing disease in the country is caused by Coxsackie Virus A6 and Enterovirus 71 C4, which are the same strains found in neighbouring Cambodia, as well as Enterovirus 71 B5.
In Thailand, treatment depends on patient symptoms. Some countries have more experience with and research regarding hand, foot and mouth disease, the virologist said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra expressed concern over the spread of the disease in schools, and assigned the public health and education ministries to jointly respond to the threat.
