WHAT COME AFTER COVID-19

Team members:

TONI DARA BAUL

TAY LIANG ENG

INTRODUCTION

Covid pandemic had disrupted life all around the world and we could see the retreat of the other infectious disease into hibernation. Indeed, for the last two years, thanks to the Covid-19 preventive measures, have reduced our exposure to infectious diseases.

However, as the pandemic and associated social restrictions ease globally, we could see a rise in many common infectious diseases like hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD) and flu (influenza) making their comeback to the Malaysians community ever since. Monkey pox meanwhile is seen as potential deadly threat waiting to spread its wings in Malaysia.

POTENTIAL THREAT IN MALAYSIA

MONKEY POX

Monkey pox virus generally could be detected in West and Central Africa triggered an outbreak in more than a dozen countries like Europe, North America, Middle East, Australia and the UK.

Malaysia remains free from monkey pox after tests on nine suspected cases turned out negative for the virus. There have been no detected cases in Malaysia so far. A Malaysian living in Singapore was diagnosed with the virus in early July this year.

The risk of spreading is low unless there is a history of contact with infected animals or direct contact with infected patients. Malaysia Ministry of Health will be monitoring the progress of monkey pox cases based on reports from the WHO, as well as carrying out surveillance on suspected cases of viral zoonosis at all the country's international entry points, besides working closely with the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department (MAQIS) and Perhilitan to monitor the development of the monkey pox situation among the wildlife, including those imported from the African and European continents.

Monkeypox is a rare zoonotic viral disease spreadable from animals to humans, and also between people. The cause of spread by an infection with the monkeypox virus, which belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus that also includes variola virus (which causes smallpox), vaccinia virus (used in the smallpox vaccine), and cowpox virus. While anyone can catch monkeypox, the current outbreak is overwhelmingly concentrated in gay and bisexual men, as well as health workers exposed to the virus.

The incubation period (time from infection to symptoms) for monkeypox is usually between one to two weeks but can also range from five to 21 days. In humans, the disease usually begins with the following symptoms:

Fever
Headache
Muscle aches
Backache
Swollen lymph nodes
Chills
Exhaustion

After one to three days (or sometimes longer), the patient will develop a rash, often beginning on the face then spreading to other parts of the body. The lesions will progress through the following stages before falling off:

Macules
Papules
Vesicles
Pustules
Scabs

In most cases, symptoms typically go away on their own within a few weeks. However, newborns, children, and people with underlying immune deficiencies may be at risk of more serious symptoms and possibly death from monkeypox. The mortality rate is presently low at roughly three to six per cent.

DISEASES THAT COMEBACK

INFLUENZA

Now that Malaysia is in the endemic phase of the Covid-19 pandemic, with some restrictions relaxed, influenza cases are expected to up surge as people move about freely and let their guard down, either by unmasking or failing to maintain strict hand hygiene.

The coming back of flu into Malaysia’s society has real potentiality to spread via international travel and complacency social restrictions. Confirmed cases of influenza and influenza-like illness (ILI) clusters have been reported in various schools.

Influenza symptoms as identified are:-

Fever
Cough
Runny nose
Sore throat
Headache
Body ache
Breathlessness
Diarrhea
Vomiting

The severity of these symptoms varies, largely depending on the person's immunity. Unlike temperate countries, influenza occurs throughout the year in Malaysia. This means a person could catch the flu at any time. Influenza spreads from person to person mainly by droplets up to about 6 feet away. It can be easily transmitted in the community with rapid transmission in crowded areas such as schools and nursing homes.

Symptoms in flu are similar to Covid-19, yet are often regard as underestimated illness. While there is a readily test kits available for Covid-19 however nothing could be said about flu. Besides being contagious in nature flu can be severed and fatal. Flu also could cause heart attack and dangerous for diabetics’ person.

Fever is not always present with influenza in people of any age, especially in older adults and people with weakened immune systems. High-risk groups are young children, pregnant women (and up to 2 weeks after delivery), older persons, those with chronic medical diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, history of stroke, chronic kidney disease, chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and those with a weakened immune system due to disease or treatment such as people with HIV or AIDS, or cancer.

For pregnant women, body undergoes changes to the immune system, heart and lungs, making them more susceptible to influenza severe enough to cause hospitalization throughout pregnancy and up to two weeks after delivery. Unborn child is also at risk of developing complications from the flu such as neural tube defects, pre-term birth and even death. Flu vaccine reduces the chances of flu related illness and serious complications risk that result in hospitalization or even death. It helps to prevent virus spread in the community. For pregnant and the unborn child, vaccination not only protects but also provide antibodies passed down from the mother to the baby in the wombs The antibodies stay with the baby until it reaches 6 months of age.

HAND, FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE (HFMD)

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is common in infants and children younger than 5 years old. Symptoms of hand, foot, and mouth disease usually include fever, mouth sores, and skin rash. The skin rash normally will found on the hands and feet.

At the beginning, your child will most likely have a fever, reduced appetite and sore throat. One or two days later, he or she may develop painful mouth sores that start as small red spots in the back of the mouth or a rash of blistering red spots on the hands, bottoms of feet, knees, elbows, genitals or buttocks. Thus, parent play important role to see any of your children suffer. In order to avoid that disease, parent should:-

Often wash hands

Parents are encouraged to wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. For example, wash hands after changing diapers, after using the toilet, after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing and caring for someone who is sick

Help children wash their hands.

It is crucial for parent to teach their children how to wash their hands and make sure they wash them often.

Avoid close contact with sick people

Parent should avoid touching someone who has hand, foot, and mouth disease, such as hugging or kissing them.

Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth

You can get infected with hand, foot, and mouth disease if you have the virus on your hands and then touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. To lessen your chance of getting sick, don’t touch your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Clean and disinfect

Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and shared items, including toys and doorknobs.

CONCLUSION

To ensure global preparedness, newer vaccines, diagnostics and antiviral agents are being developed. These may useful for prevention and control outbreak of Monkeypox, Influenza and Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). Besides personal hygiene, public are recommends wearing a mask indoors in public and outdoors in crowded areas to reduce the risk from infected by the disease.

Most of infectious diseases have similar symptoms, like fever, diarrhea, fatigue and muscle aches. Some diseases, however, have become resistant to drugs. You should always consult a doctor about the best treatment option for your particular symptoms or disease.

World Health Organization (WHO) urges all public, health authorities at all levels, clinicians, health and social sector partners, research and commercial partners to respond quickly to contain local spread. Rapid action must be taken before the virus can be allowed to establish itself with efficient person-to-person transmission to all areas.

REFERENCES

How to Know If Your Child Has Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease. Uhhospitals.org. (2022). Retrieved 11 August 2022, from https://www.uhhospitals.org/Healthy-at-UH/articles/2018/10/hand-foot-and-mout h-disease.
Symptoms and Diagnosis of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Retrieved 11 August 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/hand-foot-mouth/about/signs-symptoms.html.
Who.int. 2022. Multi-country monkeypox outbreak: situation update. [online] Available at: [Accessed 11 August 2022].
Murugesan, Meera, 7th July 2022. Remain vigilant against influenza. Retrieve from https://www.nst.com.my/lifestyle/heal/2022/07/811452/health-remain-vigilant-ag ainst-influenza
Murugesan, Meera, 5th August 2022, Influenza on the rise. Retrieve from https://www.nst.com.my/lifestyle/heal/2022/08/819465/health-influenza-rise https://www.buro247.my/lifestyle/news/what-is-monkeypox-malaysia-symptoms -prevention.html

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