AIIMS, Capital Hospital report cases with symptoms similar to Hand, Foot and Mouth disease

BHUBANESWAR: Detection of multiple cases with symptoms akin to Hand, Foot and Mouth disease (HFMD) in AIIMS Bhubaneswar and Capital Hospital has triggered apprehensions, even as health experts advised not to panic about the situation terming it ‘well under control.’

AIIMS additional professor Dr Prabhas Ranjan Tripathy told media that the institute is receiving four to five patients with symptoms similar to HFMD for the last two weeks. He, however, said that the patients are being discharged after treatment at OPD.AIIMS officials also said that there has been no confirmation of HFMD in Odisha so far. 

Apart from AIIMS, the Capital Hospital is also receiving patients with similar symptoms for over a fortnight. Capital Hospital Director Dr Laxmidhar Sahu said around five to six cases with symptoms similar to HFMD are being reported in the hospital these days. The cases, however, have been detected among children in 0 to 5 years age group. 

Those developing the symptoms are being detected mostly with lack of appetite, skin rashes, reddish lesions in mouth, cough and throat pain. Sources said the Capital Hospital has sent samples of the suspect cases to RMRC for lab test and the result is expected within a week. 

Notably, paediatricians had already raised alert about cases with symptoms similar to HFMD is Bhubaneswar and Cuttack and several other districts a week back.They had also informed about sporadic cases where the symptoms, usually found among children below 5 years age, affecting older ones.