Version: April 2024
Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD) is a contagious viral illness primarily affecting young children. It’s most commonly caused by Coxsackievirus A16. Symptoms include sores in or on the mouth and rashes on hands and feet. It spreads through coughing, sneezing, or close contact, and can also spread through contact with infected stools or surfaces. There is no specific treatment, care focuses on relieving symptoms. Preventive measures include good hygiene practices such as frequent handwashing. Most people recover in 7 to 10 days without medical treatment.
Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease (HFMD) cases in Chinese mainland show a clear seasonal pattern, peaking between April and July each year. The highest number of cases was reported in 2014 with over half a million cases in May. Cases have decreased notably since then, reaching below 50,000 in December 2022. However, the cases began to rise again in 2023, reaching 457,212 in July. Notably, there was a precipitous drop in reported cases in early 2020, likely due to measures enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the numbers increased afterwards. The trend is similar in almost every subsequent year.
Despite the large number of HFMD cases, the number of deaths remained relatively low over the observed period. Deaths showed a similar seasonal pattern as cases, peaking in May-June each year. The highest number of deaths was reported in May 2014 with a count of 114. Interestingly, the number of deaths decreased dramatically after 2019 and no deaths were recorded from January to April 2020. From May 2020 through until the latest data point in April 2024, deaths remained very low with many months reporting zero fatalities. This could signal improvements in healthcare response over this period.