Cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease are increasing in Nishinomiya City.
Here↓
※Screenshot from the Nishinomiya Medical Association report on infectious disease cases in Nishinomiya City from June 9 to June 15 (2019/6/18)
目次
Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease Peaks in Late July
It occurs every year mainly during the summer, with the outbreak peaking in late July.
Q&A on Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease｜Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
It seems to spread every year in summer, from June to August.
May 12-18↓
In Nishinomiya City in 2019,
May had 8 cases → June had 70 cases
So the number of patients with hand, foot, and mouth disease has increased by about 9 times compared to last month.
More Cases in the Shukugawa and Kita-Shukugawa Areas
Among hand, foot, and mouth disease patients in Nishinomiya City, the Shukugawa and Kita-Shukugawa areas have the most cases, with 19 patients.(Maybe there are simply more children there.)
The next highest areas are Uegahara Minami / Hirota and Naruo / Koshienhama, with 8 cases each.
Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease Is Common in Summer
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is an infectious disease caused by a viral infection that produces blister-like rashes inside the mouth and on the hands and feet. It mainly affects children and spreads mostly in summer.
(omitted)
In most years, infants and young children age 5 and under account for around 90% of reported cases.
Q&A on Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease｜Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
In Nishinomiya City as well, children age 5 and under account for 92% of hand, foot, and mouth disease patients.
If you include children up to age 9, they make up 100% of the patients, so it really is centered on children.
Young Children Are Easily Infected
Known routes of infection include droplet infection, contact infection, and fecal-oral infection, in which viruses excreted in stool enter the mouth and cause infection.
Q&A on Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease｜Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
According to information from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, one reason young children are susceptible is group settings such as daycare facilities and kindergartens.
In short, they lick things or put their hands in their mouths after touching all kinds of things, and that becomes a cause.
So prevention is probably quite difficult.
Symptoms
Three to five days after infection, 2-3 mm blister-like rashes appear inside the mouth, on the palms, soles, tops of the feet, and other areas. Fever is seen in about one-third of cases, but in most cases it does not become very high, and a prolonged high fever is usually not seen. Most people recover within a few days.
Q&A on Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease｜Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
As the name “hand, foot, and mouth disease” suggests, it seems to be an illness where rashes appear on the hands, feet, and inside the mouth.
Since the rash appears in places where rashes do not usually show up much, like the palms and inside the mouth, the symptoms are fairly easy to recognize.
If you look at these Google image search results, you should get a general idea.(If you are sensitive to that kind of image, you may not want to look.)
It seems that the fever usually does not get very high.
However, although rare, complications involving the central nervous system, such as meningitis, cerebellar ataxia, and encephalitis, as well as various symptoms such as myocarditis, neurogenic pulmonary edema, and acute flaccid paralysis, can occur.
Q&A on Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease｜Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
It seems that caution is needed if there is a high fever, vomiting, headache, or problems with consciousness.
Like influenza, it can become serious, leading to conditions such as meningitis or encephalitis, so it is reassuring to have a doctor examine the patient properly.
When Does It Heal?
In many cases, the rash disappears and the illness heals in 3-7 days.
About Infectious Diseases Common in Summer｜Nishinomiya City Website
It seems to clear up within a week.
However, even after symptoms disappear, the virus may continue to be excreted in stool for up to one month, so thorough handwashing is important.
Finally
There is no vaccine, and it is an illness that young children are prone to catching, so prevention is not easy. But if you notice suspicious rashes or other symptoms, please take your child to the hospital. The Nishinomiya City website also has a very concise summary of other infectious diseases that tend to spread in summer. Please give it a read.
