Rare ‘tomato flu’ spreads to more children in India, prompting health advisory

The emergence of a rare, new viral infection afflicting young children has prompted health officials in India to issue a health advisory after more than 100 cases were discovered in the country.

Tomato flu – so called because of the painful red blisters it produces – has so far been detected in 82 children under the age of five in the state of Kerala, where the first case was reported on May 6.

Neighboring Tamil Nadu and formerly Odisha have reported 26 additional cases, where children as young as nine have been infected.

India’s health ministry has said the virus is non-life threatening, but this week it issued testing and prevention guidelines to all states, asking parents to check for symptoms in their children, the Times of India reported. I have been urged to be extra cautious.

Tomato flu is a highly contagious viral infection that spreads through close contact, especially among young children under the age of five.

Symptoms include fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, dehydration, joint swelling, body aches, and general influenza-like symptoms, as well as tomato-like blisters.

Scientists are still trying to identify the root cause of the virus. However, he says that “it is not related to SARS-CoV-2”. [Covid-19]Despite displaying some similar symptoms, according to an article published last week in the British medical journal The Lancet.

More likely, the virus is an effect of chikungunya or dengue fever, two viral diseases transmitted by mosquitoes.

Alternatively, it could be a new form of viral hand, foot and mouth disease, a common infectious disease that mostly targets children between the ages of one and five years and immunocompromised adults.

Children are at increased risk of exposure to tomato flu because viral infections are common in this age group and are likely to spread through close contact.

They are also at particularly high risk from using nappies, touching unclean surfaces, and putting things directly in the mouth.

However, older adults may be put at risk if outbreaks are not controlled and transmission is limited.

“Given the similarity of hand, foot and mouth disease, if tomato flu outbreaks in children are not controlled and prevented, outbreaks in adults could have serious consequences,” the Lancet article said.

Tomato flu is a self-limiting illness, which means it gets better on its own without treatment.

However, health officials have urged people to take precautionary measures to contain the spread of the outbreak, including isolating suspected cases for five to seven days after the onset of symptoms.

The Lancet article states, “The best measure of prevention is the proper sanitation and hygiene of surrounding necessities and the environment, as well as avoiding the infected child sharing toys, clothing, food or other objects with other non-infected children.” have to stop.” ,