City schools on alert as viral hand-foot-mouth disease soars

Photo: Collected

An increasing number of children aged 10 and below have begun showing signs of the highly contagious, but mild hand-foot-mouth disease, prompting some schools to issue health notices.

A notice in an English-medium school obtained by The Business Standard reads, "Dear Parents/Guardians,

"We have observed that some students come to school with allergies/rashes, which might be contagious to others. Therefore, we request that if you notice such symptoms in your child, please do not send him/her to school and inform the class teachers immediately."

Doctors believe the infection is the hand-foot-and-mouth disease, a mild infection common in young children. Its symptoms include sores in the mouth and a rash on the hands, feet and body.

Bangladesh Shishu Hospital Director Prof Dr Md Jahangir Alam said there has been an uptick in those affected by hand-foot-and-mouth disease caused by two viruses – Coxa B-16 and Echo-71.

"It is so contagious that if a child in a house or a class is infected other children will have it, too. However, it goes away after seven days. Nowadays we are receiving more patients than in the past," said Dr Jahangir Alam.

He suggested that those infected bathe with soap and use ointments.

Wishing not to be named, a paediatrician at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital said, "Students from at least five English medium schools in Dhanmondi and surrounding areas came to me for medical certificates to submit to the school authorities with their sick leave applications following the infections."

The infection, leading to blisters similar to chicken pox, has so far been reported more in Dhaka and its surrounding areas.

For Ajwad Arman, 9, from Kalabagan in the capital, a fever was the first sign of the infection. The next day, blisters appeared on his palms, his elbows, knees, legs, in the groin area and inside the mouth.

After one day, his sister Yousra Inaya, 7, also had blisters on her palms and feet.

Elsewhere, Tamima Takarrum Tajri, 7, from Gazipur had blisters on her elbow, along with itchiness and backache.

Her father Md Kamrul Hasan said he took her to a doctor, who prescribed cream for fungus infections to be applied to the blisters. The blisters started to dry after four days and after 10 days, she was almost cured.

Doctors say the disease is self-limiting. Patients can be cured rapidly if they take medicine within three to four days after the blister appears. It takes two more days to fully recover.

As sores can also develop inside the mouth, they recommend eating less spicy food and more liquid food.

Epidemiologist Zakir Hussain said the disease is not alarming, but children with symptoms should be kept away from others.

"Among similar viruses, measles is the most contagious followed by chicken pox. Then come other viruses in the chicken pox family similar to this one. A virus has no treatment. In this case, medicine is given to cure itching owing to blisters and to avoid any infection," he said.

Dr Alamgir, senior scientific officer of the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control And Research, said the disease usually spreads during the monsoon in the Indian subcontinent.

It can spread from direct contact with someone infected. The virus also remains active on the surfaces, from where it spreads. It is also transmitted through the respiratory system.

Sometimes the rashes become bigger, which is why it is called "tomato flu" in India's state of Kerala," said the senior scientific officer.

According to the Indian media, Maharashtra reported 250 cases of hand-foot-and-mouth disease until 28 August as per data provided by the state's public health department.