According to Dr. Deepal Perera, a Consultant Pediatrician at Lady Ridgeway Hospital, there has been a rise in the spread of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) among schoolchildren. He advised parents to keep their children at home if they exhibit symptoms of the disease and to provide them with face masks to prevent further spread. Additionally, Dr. Perera warned parents to be cautious of symptoms such as small, oval, white blisters on the palms and soles of the feet, as well as in the mouth, or a red skin rash with a brown scale on it. He also mentioned that HFMD is most commonly caused by the Coxsackie virus and can spread through contact with fluid from inside the blisters or droplets from sneezing and coughing. Furthermore, Dr. Perera noted that other diseases such as Covid, dengue, weezing, upper respiratory infections, and viral infections are also spreading among children.
