Hand, foot and mouth disease reports concern health officials

The Westmoreland Health Department is urging parents to guard their children against hand, foot and mouth disease, amid continued reports of the viral illness.

The department’s Parish Health Promotion and Education Officer Gerald Miller said while the illness is typically more prevalent between March and June and September and December, cases have persisted outside those periods, with cases being reported during the summer as recently as August. With the new school term approaching, Miller is encouraging parents and operators of early-childhood institutions to strengthen children’s hygiene practices to reduce the risk of contracting and spreading the virus.

Hand, foot and mouth disease is a contagious viral illness that primarily affects infants and children under five years old. It is characterised by painful sores in the mouth and a rash that may develop on the hands, feet, elbows and buttocks.