The Center has sent an advisory to the states on HFMD (Hand Foot and Mouth Disease), commonly known as tomato flu, stating that it is a self-limiting disease that mostly occurs in the age group of 1 to 10 years. It targets young children and immunocompromised adults, and no specific drug exists to treat it.
The advisory further mentions that although the tomato flu virus shows similar symptoms to other viral infections (fever, fatigue, body aches, and skin rashes); The virus is not related at all to SARS-CoV-2, monkeypox, dengue, and chikungunya.
The best prevention is to maintain proper hygiene and cleanliness of the surrounding area. To prevent the spread of the infection to other children or adults, isolation should be followed for 5 to 7 days after the onset of any symptoms.
Tomato flu was first identified in Kollam, Kerala on May 6, 2022. As of 26 July, the infection has been reported by local government hospitals in more than 82 children under the age of 5. Additionally, 26 children (aged 1-9 years) have been reported to have the disease in Odisha by RMRC Bhubaneswar.
This endemic viral disease triggered an alert in the neighboring states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. To date, apart from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, and Odisha, no other region of India have reported this disease caused by the virus in their State/UT.
Symptoms of Tomato Flu
Tomato flu is a viral disease. The name "tomato flu" comes from the main symptom of the disease, which begins as small red blisters, and blisters, on many parts of the body that resemble tomatoes as they grow. The primary symptoms seen in children with tomato flu are similar to those of other viral infections, including fever, rash, and joint pain.
Skin rashes can also cause skin irritation. The Union Health Ministry said that like other viral infections, symptoms include fatigue, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, swollen joints, body aches, and general influenza-like symptoms.
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