South Africa: hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) outbreak in a KwaZulu-Natal school

The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Health Department confirmed seven cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) in a school located in the town of Phoenix. Twelve other suspected cases were assessed by the district school health team. All confirmed cases are children in Grades 1, 2, and 3. The department will visit other schools in the district to conduct examinations and reassure parents and caregivers about the situation. It also asked to clean school surfaces regularly and avoid children sharing items. HFMD is a common viral infection among children and is spread by direct contact with an infected person or a contaminated object. Symptoms include fever, sore throat, and tiredness. The disease also manifests with small blisters on the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, and the inside of the mouth.
Despite the department’s attempts at reassurance, local parents are very concerned about the outbreak, and some of them even suggested closing schools to identify infected children and contain the spread of the virus.