Some 239 people were infected with scarlet fever last month, a surge of approximately 57 percent when compared to the 152 cases that were recorded this February, the Macao Health Bureau said in a statement yesterday.
In recent months, Macao has seen a noticeable increase in the number of scarlet fever cases, especially among children, who are the demographic most affected by the illness.
In light of the rise in infections, the Health Bureau issued a notice last December to urge parents and educational institutions to take precaution.
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Of the 1,963 cases of infectious diseases that were recorded in March, enterovirus, saw a nearly 24 percent increase month-on-month, with a total of 98 cases. Salmonella also witnessed a noticeable increase in March, registering a 6.5-fold jump month-on-month.
In contrast, influenza, which accounted for the vast majority of the infections last month, fell 17 percent month-on-month to 1,446 cases. Chicken pox, rotavirus and norovirus infections also fell significantly.
The Health Bureau also noted that there were 22 instances of tuberculosis, 4 cases of asymptomatic HIV, 2 cases of whooping cough and 1 instance each of AIDS and legionellosis.
