Tomato flu is on the rise in Assam with over 100 cases reported in the last 1 month

Assam reported over 100 cases of hand-foot-and-mouth disease, also known as tomato flu, in the last one month, sounding an alarm for the state health department, an official said on Monday. The maximum number of cases were reported from two schools in Dibrugarh district. A senior official of the state health department informed that the two schools reported 24 and 22 cases each, which were clinically confirmed based on symptoms.

The health department has already issued an advisory to the district authority to keep the infected children in isolation for seven days. The district health officials have been asked by the state administration to inspect the pediatric OPDs in the district hospitals for early detection of tomato flu cases. Though the tomato flu disease is not seen as life-threatening, healthcare experts have warned that any further spread of the disease may hit school attendance once again after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Health officials also said that the chances of adults contracting the disease are feeble. Hemen Das, an epidemiologist with the National Health Mission, said that maintaining basic hygiene is the key to preventing the outbreak of tomato flu. He added, "If an infected child is kept in isolation for a week, there is every chance that he or she will automatically recover." (AS/IANS)