Tomato flu linked to Covid or monkeypox? What Centre’s advisory on viral disease says

Tomato flu symptoms include fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, dehydration, swelling of joints, body aches, and common influenza-like symptoms.

Published on: Aug 24, 2022, 09:52:38 IST

By HT News Desk

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With more than 82 cases of ‘tomato flu’ reported in children in the country, the Centre on Tuesday issued an advisory to states about the disease. The disease, which seems to be a variant of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD), occurs mainly in children under 10 years of age. Tomato Flu was first identified in the Kollam district of Kerala on May 6.Apart from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Odisha, no other region in India has reported the disease.

There are no disease-specific medications available for tomato flu.

Here’s what the Centre’s advisory said:

> Tomato flu or tomato fever is a self-limiting viral disease, as the signs and symptoms resolve after a few days.

> Tomato flu is not all related to SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19), monkeypox, dengue, and/or chikungunya.

> It begins with mild fever, poor appetite, malaise, and often a sore throat. One or two days after the fever begins, small red spots appear which change to blisters and then to ulcers. The sores are usually located on the tongue, gums, inside of the cheeks, palms and soles.

> The symptoms also include fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, dehydration, swelling of joints, body aches, and common influenza-like symptoms.

> There are no disease-specific medications available, the advisory said as per news agency PTI, adding that treatment is similar to other viral infections - isolation, rest, plenty of fluids and hot water sponge for relief of irritation and rashes.

> The best solution for prevention is maintenance of proper hygiene and sanitization of the surrounding necessities as well as preventing the infected child from sharing toys, clothes, food, with other non-infected children.

> HFMD occurs mainly in children under 10 years of age, but it can occur in adults too.

With inputs from PTI

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HT News Desk
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