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How Kerala is managing ‘Tomato flu’ spread

Learning lessons from the Covid pandemic, health officials quickly launched an awareness drive, sending anganwadi workers to update households on the symptoms, treatment and precautions for the new fever

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How Kerala is managing ‘Tomato flu’ spread
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The most painful part of ‘Tomato flu’, the new viral disease that has infected over 82 infants in Kerala since May 6, is not the high fever which accompanies it but the horribly itchy red rashes that appear all over the hands, feet and mouth. The rashes are small blisters—hence inspiring the name ‘Tomato flu’—and are intensely painful as well as contagious.

Fortunately, when three-year-old Nandini Nair (name changed) from Kollam got infected, her mother says she already knew enough about the disease to ensure the girl’s younger sister did not get infected. She credits the local health department that has sent anganwadi workers to homes across the Kerala district to spread awareness on the symptoms, treatments and precautions to be taken against this rare viral illness.

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Tomato flu is endemic to Kerala and its exact cause is not yet known. Other than the rash, most symptoms—high fever, bodyache, joint pain, nausea—are almost similar to that of dengue and chikungunya, and there was conjecture in the 2007 outbreak of the disease that it is an aftermath of the two diseases. “It is not a life-threatening disease but it is contagious and can spread from person to person, though the real modes of spread of infection are still under investigation,” says Dr Subhash Chandra, assistant professor, internal medicine, Amrita Hospital, Kochi. Tomato flu might not be fatal, but there is also no treatment for it. Most doctors manage the illness symptomatically. “Patients who develop tomato fever should take plenty of fluids and bed rest as is advised for other viral fevers to keep the body hydrated and well-rested,” adds Dr Chandra.

What is interesting, however, is the rapidity with which health authorities have responded to the outbreak. Not only were districts in Karnataka’s border towns placed on high alert, but within a week of the first case in Kerala, Tamil Nadu began a mandatory screening of children aged under five entering their state. In Kerala, local authorities have taken up the cleaning of water bodies and appealed for greater attention to personal hygiene and sanitation of living spaces to check the viral spread.

There have also been repeated communications from health ministers of various states to reduce panic and give updates on the spread of the disease. Most importantly, awareness programmes have been set up quickly, with Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu health departments sending out field workers to educate people on the disease. “Covid has really taught us the importance of public awareness and sensitisation. Ignorance and public laxity is often what leads to an uncontrolled spread, which could be avoided if correct and timely information is available,” says Dr Srinath Reddy, president of the Public Health Foundation of India (PFHI). Even though tomato flu is not likely to become a major disease, the public health approach towards it shows that the lessons learnt with the Covid pandemic can be used for the control and cure of other illnesses as well.

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