New virus 'Tomato flu' detected in India

 

While the world continues to fight against monkeypox and the Covid-19 virus, another new disease has been found called ‘Tomato flu’. Those infected with 'Tomato flu' have symptoms like red blisters on the skin, joint pain and fever.

Doctors have sounded an alarm over this new illness. 'Tomato flu' has been found in three Indian states: Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Odisha. According to Lancet Respiratory Journal, cases of 'tomato flu' were first reported in Kerala's Kollam district. Reportedly, it has so far infected 82 children. According to Lancet, these kids are under the age of 5.

Lancet said in its report, “Just as we are dealing with the probable emergence of the fourth wave of Covid-19, a new virus known as tomato flu, or tomato fever, has emerged in India in the state of Kerala in children younger than 5 years.”

Tomato flu is caused by intestinal viruses. The disease is rare in adults as they usually have strong immune systems. The disease has been named 'tomato flu' because it causes red and painful blisters on a child's body. The blisters gradually enlarge to the size of a tomato.

The common symptoms of tomato flu include high fever, body ache, joint swelling and fatigue. Some children have also reported nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, dehydration, swollen joints and body pain.

Reportedly, the disease has triggered an alert in the neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Reportedly, 26 children have been reported of having the disease in Odisha by the Regional Medical Research Centre in Bhubaneswar.

According to the Lancet report, apart from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha, no other regions in India have been affected by the new virus.

Health professionals reportedly said the virus is a self-limiting illness and there’s no specific drug to treat it. They also warned that the infection is "very contagious".