A New viral infection in Chennai is spreading fast now!!
Posted on: 11/May/2022 9:39:12 AM
The hand, foot and mouth disease or HFMD have increased among the children in Chennai. This disease is contagious and precautionary measures are needed to keep the disease under control.
The vital infection or disease usually occurs in the kids below the age of 5. There are certain symptoms of HFMD like fever along with rashes on hands, feet, mouth ulcers etc. This was as per some doctors in Chennai.
Dr. Janani Sankar, deputy medical director of Kanchi Kamakoti Childs Trust Hospital in Chennai mentioned that every day atleast 10 to 15 kids with HFMD come to the hospital for treatment. She added that lesions appear on elbows, feet, mouth etc. She concluded that symptomatic treatment is being given to the kids with this infection. Truth is that this infection is self limiting and parents need not worry much.
Dr. P. Ramkumar, a senior paediatrician, spoke about how atleast 10percent of his cases belong to HFMD now and how cases have been coming to the hospital for the last 1 month. It is noteworthy that HFMD in the kids is due to coxsackie virus. There is no need for food restrictions and modification in the lifestyle etc. Like other viral infections, HFMD would also go away in a week. This infection is contagious and it is important to avoid contacts with the infected persons.
To prevent spreading of HFMD infection, the affected kids must stay away from school or day care centres for a week. It was highlighted by Dr. Rema Chandramohan, SMCH, Chennai that the majority of kids with HFMD were treated as outpatients unless they had fever.
For the past 6 weeks, the SMCH has been witnessing many kids with HFMD and now the cases have come down. Parents of infected kids have been asked to be careful if there were other kids at the homes.
