Suspected cases of hand, foot and mouth disease had been received by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services.

However, Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Waqainabete said there has been no confirmed cases yet. He warned all healthcare workers to be alert.

Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease

“The hand, foot and mouth disease is a mild, contagious viral infection common in young children that is characterised by sores in the mouth and a rash on the hands and feet,” he said.

“It is commonly caused by cox- sackievirus.

There’s no specific treatment for hand, foot and mouth disease. There have been cases of the disease received in Indonesia.

“Frequent hand washing and avoiding close contact with people who are infected with hand, foot and mouth disease may help reduce your child’s risk of infection.”

Symptoms

Common symptoms of the disease are fever, sore throat, feeling unwell, painful, red, blister-like lesions on the tongue, gums and inside of the cheeks.

Also, there will be red rash, without itching, but sometimes with blistering, on the palms, soles and sometimes the buttocks.

Meanwhile, Australia Broadcasting Corporation has reported that Indonesia was dealing with an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, which affects cattle, sheep, pigs and goats.

Thousands of cattle are believed to have been infected across the province of East Java and Aceh, but the disease, one of the worst that affects animals, may have already spread further.

Permanent Secretary for Agriculture Vinesh Kumar said the ministry was ensuring that meat products being imported were not from countries that recorded cases of foot and mouth disease.

“That is the reason we involve the staff from Biosecurity to inspect meat products that are being imported.” Mr Kumar said.

Biosecurity staff ensures the meat products imported are not from countries that have recorded cases of hand, foot and mouth disease.

“We ensure stringent quarantine and biosecurity measures are in place, the border controls are where the staff of the Biosecurity comes in place,” he said.

The ministry continued to monitor its livestock population around Fiji to ensure none of them are infected with the hand, foot and mouth disease.

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