Taluk Health Officer, Police, Forest staff visit border; screen Kerala visitors, heighten vigil

H.D. Kote: With several cases of tomato flu being reported in children in Kerala, a high alert has been issued at borders and the State Government has instructed the health officials to keep a vigil on daily travellers from the State entering border districts like Mysuru, Kodagu, Chamarajanagar, Udupi and Mangaluru.

“Cases have been reported from Aryankavu, Anchal and Neduvathur in Kerala. So, border districts have been directed to keep a vigil on daily travellers from Kerala and also to monitor children for any signs and symptoms in the OPDs of health institutions,” Health Minister   Dr. K. Sudhakar said in Bengaluru yesterday.

Accordingly, the Bavali check- post on the H.D. Kote side of the Kerala border has been placed on maximum alert. Mysuru Taluk Health Officer Dr. Ravikumar visited the Bavali check-post                                                last evening along with Police Sub-Inspector Bharat, Senior Health Inspector T. Raviraj, Chikkanna of Forest Department and Health Department staff Sowmya, ASHA worker Manjula and others.

After months of high alert ever since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out along with its various variants, the Bavali check-post will once again be on alert for tomato flu. The check-post is manned by staff from Forest Department, Police and Health Department. Each oncoming vehicle including buses are being checked for patients with red blisters on their hands.

The mysterious viral fever triggered panic in Kerala’s Kollam district after it was detected in 80 children, all under five years of age. Abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea, discolouration of the hands, knees, buttocks are some   other symptoms. Since tomato flu is contagious, close contact with the infected person must be avoided to prevent disease spread.

“Though some symptoms are similar, tomato flu has nothing to do with COVID-19. These symptoms are usually seen in other types of viral infections also. There is no need to panic as the authorities have been asked to remain alert. Moreover, tomato flu is endemic to Kerala,”   Dr. Sudhakar added.

Tomato flu is a rare viral disease, which causes red-coloured rashes, skin irritation and dehydration. The disease gets its name from the blisters it causes, which look like tomatoes.

Tomato flu is affecting children below the age of five in Kerala.  “The main symptoms include large blisters the size of tomatoes which are red in colour. Other symptoms of the flu include high fever, body ache, joint swelling and fatigue — much like chikungunya,” a Health Department release said.

Further directions have been given to inform the State Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) section immediately if any cases with such symptoms are detected. District Health Officers (DHO) of concerned districts and other districts too are directed to ensure surveillance.