Tomato flu: Odisha govt ramps up preparation

Bhubaneswar, May 19: With the rising cases of tomato flu in several parts of the country, Odisha Health Department has ramped up its preparedness to deal with the situation. The Directorate of Public Health has issued directives to the district headquarters hospitals, especially to the pediatricians to remain alert for it. Though no case has been detected in the state yet, health officials have asked parents to report to a doctor immediately if their kids show any of its symptoms including reddish rashes, cold and cough, fever, nausea, body ache and joint pain. Following reports of growing numbers of Hand Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) among children in some districts in the state, the Directorate of Public Health held an interaction with child specialists and professors from medical colleges to ascertain its incidence. Dr Niranjan Mishra, Director of Public Health said that all diseases can remain in a sporadic form. “Our concern is whether it will take the shape of an epidemic. We are emphasising on awareness and surveillance from the very grass root”, Dr  Mishra added. To ascertain the virus, the Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) has been requested to collect samples for testing. The RMRC has agreed to conduct its viral detection test, he added. Citing on the Tomato flu, Dr Mishra said the symptoms seen in most cases resemble HFMD caused by a virus called Coxsackievirus, which is nothing new and uncommon. However, the virus should be properly handled to stop its mutation.