Schools Respond to Rising Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease Cases

Schools in Delhi have initiated advisories to combat the growing incidence of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD), a contagious viral infection primarily affecting children aged 3 to 7. The advisory urges parents to isolate children exhibiting symptoms such as fever, rashes, or mouth sores, as these can lead to the contamination of toys and household surfaces.

The rising cases of HFMD caught the attention of the Delhi Education Minister, Ashish Sood, who acknowledged that such infections tend to occur during the monsoon season. He stated that while isolated incidents are being reported, a consolidated count of cases within government schools is not yet available.

In response to the situation, RS Junior Modern School on Himu Road has taken proactive measures. After one student in Class 1 was diagnosed with HFMD, the school issued a circular informing parents that virtual classes would be conducted for affected students on Thursday and Friday. The school is also carrying out extensive sanitization of the classroom and has reassigned washroom staff to prevent further spread.

The school’s circular emphasized, “We would like to bring to your attention that cases of HFMD are still being reported in school. While we are taking all precautions, we seek your support in helping us control its spread.” Parents are urged to monitor for symptoms, and the advisory explicitly states, “Do not send your child to school and inform the school immediately.”

A concerned parent whose daughter is enrolled at Sardar Patel Vidyalaya reported that his child was diagnosed with HFMD in mid-July after developing painful mouth ulcers and a persistent fever. He expressed frustration regarding the lack of formal advisories or awareness from schools. “My daughter recovered, but she missed classes. There is no formal advisory or awareness in schools on this… Our main concern is that some schools are closed, some are not,” he said.

While some schools are taking measures, others appear to be less vigilant. The principal of ITL Public School, Sudha Acharya, shared that her institution has not reported any cases of HFMD among its 50 schools in Dwarka. She noted that the school has issued a monsoon advisory that includes recommendations for fumigation and advises students to wear waterproof footwear and carry raincoats.

Despite the measures being rolled out, Education Minister Sood cautioned against panicking over isolated cases. He remarked, “These are stray incidents that often occur during the monsoon season. Only two students in one class were affected, and the school shifted that class online. As a precaution, the health department has not issued any specific advisory. If we start treating such isolated cases as an outbreak, it will create unnecessary panic.”

As the situation evolves, schools continue to encourage parents to remain vigilant. The emphasis is on early detection and reporting to help control the spread of HFMD, ensuring the health and safety of all students during this challenging time.