Westmoreland sees increase in hand, foot and mouth disease

The Westmoreland Public Health Department is urging parents and school administrators to remain vigilant, following an increase in cases of hand, foot and mouth disease among children in several educational institutions across the parish.

Medical Officer of Health for Westmoreland, Dr Marcia Graham, said the highly contagious viral illness has primarily been affecting students in basic, infant and early childhood institutions, with some primary schools reporting cases.

Speaking during the monthly meeting of the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation on Thursday, July 9, Graham said the health department has intensified its public health response to limit the spread of the disease.

Graham noted that the affected schools are in several communities, with the majority concentrated in the eastern and central sections of the parish.

“These are from several different communities, predominantly in the eastern and central part of the parish. We really don’t have many cases from the western part of the parish,” she said.

She informed that the health department has been carrying out targeted interventions through public health inspectors and health educators, who visit affected institutions, once cases are identified.

The Medical Officer of Health pointed out that in many instances, schools are not the first to report cases.

“Sometimes it’s not the institution that alerts us, although they might be aware of students who are out, but when they come for healthcare in our history taking, we usually find out where they attend school… and therefore we do targeted intervention,” Graham noted.

She said the department is also using WhatsApp groups and other social media platforms to educate parents and caregivers about preventing the spread of the illness.

Describing hand, foot, and mouth disease as highly contagious, Graham underscored the importance of proper hygiene.

“Hand hygiene is very important, as well as the sanitisation of toys and other shared objects that children will interface with in the school and early childhood setting,” she emphasised.

She further encouraged parents to keep sick children at home until they have recovered to minimise transmission.

“We encourage vigilance and that if a child is ill, we keep them home until they have recovered so we don’t expose others. It’s summer, but summer school is keeping, and so we still have the opportunity for that to be spreading,” Graham said.

Hand, foot and mouth disease is a common viral illness that primarily affects infants and children under the age of five, although older children and adults can also become infected.

In Jamaica, cases are most reported between March and June and September and December, but the disease can occur at any time of the year. 

Symptoms typically include fever, sore throat, loss of appetite and painful mouth sores, followed by a rash or blisters on the hands and feet.

Most cases are mild and resolve within a week with supportive care.

She appealed to residents to continue supporting the health department’s efforts to safeguard the health of children across the parish through good hygiene practices and early reporting of illnesses.

- JIS News

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