South Africa: HFMD outbreak update

The hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) outbreak in KwaZulu-Natal continues to spread. The number of confirmed cases has risen to 36, and the affected area is north Durban, mainly the suburbs of Phoenix, Greenwood Park, and Umhlanga. The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Department of Health sent a team of investigators to assess the situation in several local schools. In all institutes, they found children suffering from flu-like symptoms, with blisters and swollen hands. Commenting on these findings, Ntokozo Maphisa, spokesperson for the department, expressed concern for the rising number of infections but also appealed for calm and urged parents to avoid direct contact between children and ill persons. Symptomatic children should be kept at home, and persons with severe HFMD or complications should visit the nearest healthcare facility.
HFMD is quite common in South Africa, though outbreaks tend to occur in crèches or day care centres. It is spread by direct contact or droplets from the mouth or nose of an infected person. Contaminated objects can also transmit the virus. The symptoms include fever, sore throat, tiredness, and small blisters on the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, and the inside of the mouth. They usually start three to seven days after infection and last between seven and ten days.