Some 1,751 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) were reported in the Sultanate from January 1 to March 6 this year, a massive increase compared to the annual average of 598 cases from 2019-2023.
About 55 per cent of the cases reported are children under the age of five.
The worrying trend was shared by the Ministry of Health (MoH) in a statement yesterday, which also explained that there have been no deaths caused by HFMD in the country since one was reported in 2005.
HFMD is a common infection among children especially under five years old, it added.
Signs of the illness include high fever, lack of appetite, feeling unwell, skin rash and sore throat. Mouth sores and ulcers are also commonly experienced on the tongue, gums and the inside of the cheek. The infection is caused by several types of viruses that can spread from person to person through hand contact or touching a contaminated surface.
Children have a higher risk of infection, which can cause serious complications like encephalitis and dehydration.
The MoH advised the public who are taking their children on overseas vacations during the school break to take precautions to reduce the risk of infection, including maintaining hygiene by washing hands with soap, maintaining a clean environment at home, childcare centres and schools and keeping infected children at home to avoid spreading the disease.
Surfaces, especially toys, should always be disinfected and personal items like toothbrush, towel, blanket, cup, spoon, forks and handkerchief should not be shared, it said.
The MoH also advised parents and guardians to take their children to health centres and hospital if they show symptoms of HFMD.
On a viral message of an HFMD fatality, the ministry said an investigation was carried out and found no evidence that it occurred in the Sultanate.
HFMD fatalities are typically caused by very severe infection to the point of causing serious complications, or the patient suffering from other serious diseases at the same time. – James Kon
