Kerala and Tamil Nadu have been battling a new virus since the past two weeks. The state of Kerala registered 82 cases of 'Tomato Flu' or 'Tomato Fever', as per the local media.
The Kerala Health Department has been closely monitoring the situation as the disease affects children below the age of five. All the 82 cases of Tomato Fever were reported in Kollam city. What is particularly worrying is that all confirmed cases are of children below five years and they have been reported from local government hospitals.
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| What Is Tomato Flu? Here Are Its Symptoms, & Causes |
Table of Contents
- What is Tomato flu?
- What are symptoms of Tomato flu?
- Preventive measures for Tomato flu
- Action taken by Kerala govt
What is Tomato flu?
Tomato flu also known as Tomato fever, is a very common kind of fever where children below five years of age get infected.
Mostly the infected child experience rashes and skin irritation and dehydration. This causes blisters on several parts of the body. The name Tomato flu or Tomato fever is derived from the fact that these blisters are usually round in shape and red in colour.
Only parts of Kollam are experiencing this kind of flu, but the state health officials warned it could spread to other regions also.
It has still not been confirmed whether this unidentified Tomato Fever is a viral fever or an aftereffect of chikungunya or dengue fever.
What are symptoms of Tomato flu?
Children usually experience rashes and skin irritation and dehydration. Besides, children also feel tiredness, their colour of hands and legs change, they feel joint pain, feel cramps in stomach, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, coughing, sneezing, wheezing, runny nose, high fever and body aches.
The infected child suffers from irritation in the mouth due to dehydration. Discolouration of the hands, knees, buttocks are some other symptoms. Some patients also claim that worms come out of the boils that develop on the rashes.
Preventive measures for Tomato flu
- Consult a doctor if your child shows any of the above symptoms.
- Don’t allow children to scratch their blisters.
- Provide children with boiled water and allow them to rest.
- Maintain proper hygiene of children.
- Take bath using warm water.
- Avoid close contact with the infected person.
Action taken by Kerala govt
The Kerala state health department has reportedly been monitoring the situation closely and has taken preventive measures. The cases have been reported from Aryankavu, Anchal and Neduvathur.
Due to the high number of cases, the Anganwadi centres in the areas have been closed. Authorities, meanwhile, have launched awareness campaigns in villages.
To curb the spread of Tomato flu, a medical team has also been carrying out tests of those entering Coimbatore along Kerala-Tamil Nadu border.
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