HAND, FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE (HFMD)

Current Context: HFMD is spreading rapidly among children in Delhi and nearby Haryana, prompting health experts and schools to issue advisories.

ABOUT HFMD

• Type: Contagious viral infection
• Common in: Infants and children under 5 years
• Cause: Several viruses; not related to foot-and-mouth disease in animals
• Transmission: Contact with unwashed hands, saliva, nasal mucus, feces, or blister fluid
• Highly spreads in: Daycare centres and schools

 SYMPTOMS : Fever, Sore throat, Painful mouth sores, Blister-like rash on hands, feet, and sometimes other body parts