The number of hand, foot and mouth disease patients increased by 51 percent from May 29-June 4 from the week before, a government report showed on Sunday.

According to the weekly report released by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the prevalence rate of the disease increased to 32.4 per 1,000 in the first week of June from 21.5 per 1,000 the week before. The figure is almost as high as that in 2014, when the nation had the highest number of MFMD patients since 2011.

HFMD is a common viral illness that usually affects young children. Some of its most common symptoms include fever and a skin rash with red spots.

Although health complications of the disease are not common, cases of viral meningitis and toenail loss have been reported.

(dyc@heraldcorp.com)