Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Several school children were found suffering from a viral infection known as the ‘Tomato Virus’ in Bhopal, leading schools to alert parents about its spread on Thursday.
What is Tomato Virus?
The disease, medically called Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD), causes red rashes on the hands, feet, soles, under the neck, and inside the mouth. These rashes later turn into blisters.
Children also suffer from itching, burning, fever, sore throat, and pain.
How does it spread?
The infection spreads easily from one child to another. Because of this, schools have advised parents to keep children with such symptoms at home to stop further spread.
Pediatricians explained that the disease is caused by Echinococcus and Coxsackie viruses. It is most common in children aged six months to 12 years. He added that HFMD usually goes away on its own within a week to 10 days and is not a serious health threat.
The virus mainly spreads due to poor hand washing after using the toilet and lack of hygiene.
It can also pass from an infected child through cough, sneeze droplets, or body fluids like saliva. Symptoms appear within 3 to 6 days of infection.
Doctors expressed concern that there is no specific medicine for HFMD and suggested children with heart, lung, or other health problems to be extra cautious.
Tomato flu in Kerala
Kerala, too, has reported 80 cases of similar tomato flu in 2022. It caused red rashes on the child's body, hence the name 'tomato flu'. Though causes of the flu could not be detected.
