PETALING JAYA: The health ministry has confirmed that the child who was allegedly infected with monkeypox had in fact tested positive for hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD).
Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said although the early diagnosis was HFMD, two samples from the three-year-old were sent to the National Public Health Laboratory (MKAK) for further testing, including for HFMD and monkeypox.
“The results came back positive for the Coxsackie A16 virus, which confirms it is a case of HFMD.
“The child tested negative for monkeypox and other viruses,” he said on Facebook today.
On Tuesday, the health ministry said it had not received any information on claims that a child was infected with monkeypox.
It was responding to a photograph that went viral on social media which showed a child with large blisters on his hands, apparently after being infected with monkeypox.