Tomato flu: There is a new virus spreading across India, here's what you need to know

There is growing concern in the medical community in India following the detection of a virus that has infected more than 80 children so far. Known as the ‘tomato flu/fever’, the virus is believed to be a variant of the hand, foot and mouth disease.

How new is this?

Doctors in the country first detected this novel disease in May in Kerala state. Preliminary investigations are underway to determine whether it is the after-effect of a mosquito-borne infection, according to DailyMail. However, medical experts are not ruling out the possibility of it being an entirely new pathogen. Local news outlet, Hindustan Times quoted Dr Dhiren Gupta, Senior Consultant, Sir Gangaram hospital as saying:

The community is just recovering from serious Covid therefore very sensitive and receptive to new endemics. Additionally, this type of news creates panic. It's important to check facts about this disease.

The Kerala Health Department is monitoring the spread as state officials have alerted neighbouring states of the potential danger.

Cause for alarm?

All the 82 cases recorded so far have been among children below the age of five, while 26 young below under 10 are suspected to have been infected as well, DailyMail reports.

According to recent research published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, children are at higher risk of contracting this disease because they are more susceptible to catching viral infections. The team of researchers from India and Australia warn of the risk of transmission to adults.

Given the similarities to hand, foot, and mouth disease, if the outbreak of tomato flu in children is not controlled and prevented, transmission might lead to serious consequences by spreading in adults as well.

Although highly contagious, tomato flu is not life-threatening; all sufferers have made natural recoveries within a week or two, the research reassures.

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