Lenham Primary in Phoenix has recorded 89 cases of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) as the outbreak rapidly spreads across several schools and daycare centres in KwaZulu-Natal, prompting health officials to raise the alarm bell.
Allingham Primary, Grandmore Primary, Whetstone Primary, Phoenix Pioneer Primary, and Apollo Secondary in Chatsworth have also been hit by the outbreak.
The KZN MEC for Health, Nomagugu Simelane, said the total number of cases in the province now stood at 195.
She was speaking during a visit to Lenham Primary on Tuesday morning.
“We are deeply concerned about the rapid rise in the number of HFMD cases in our province. On Saturday, we had 36 cases and this rose to 168 by Monday. Overnight the cases went up to 195. All 27 new cases are from the eThekwini district.”
Simelane said there were 147 cases in the eThekwini district, 25 in the King Cetshwayo district, 20 in the Ugu district and three in the uMkhanyakude district.
“The 195 confirmed cases emanate from primary schools and daycare centres. And right here at Lenham Primary, which is the most affected school in the province, we have at least 89 cases. This is why we are here, to see the situation first-hand, to offer our support, and to ensure that every possible measure is being taken to contain the spread of this disease,” she said.
Ntokozo Maphisa, the spokesperson for the Department of Health, said while they were concerned about the numbers, they appealed for calm.
A Phoenix mother has told how “heartbreaking” it had been to watch her two-year-old toddler struggle with the effects of HFMD.
The mother, who declined to be named, said she believed her son was infected while at a daycare centre.
“He had a runny nose at the weekend but it stopped. However, last Tuesday I was horrified when I saw the blisters on his groin and buttocks, while changing his diaper. He also seemed to be in a lot of pain and did not want me to change him. I contacted his care facility, who said another child had taken ill with the same symptoms a week before.
“The next day I took my son to the doctor, who confirmed that he had HFMD. However, I was told it would need to run its course. I was quite surprised as I had never heard about this disease before,” she said.
She said the impact of the HFMD had been significant on her son.
“Within a few days, the blisters spread across his body, including in his mouth and on his lips. He also had it under his feet and armpits and on his hands. It was heart-breaking to see my child suffer.”
Dr Lilishia Gounder, a specialist clinical virologist at the Department of Virology, National Health Laboratory Service and University of KwaZulu-Natal, said children under five were the most vulnerable.
She said transmission occurred by direct person-to-person contact with saliva, nasal and throat secretions, vesicular fluid, or the stool of an infected individual.
“It can also be transmitted through contact with contaminated surfaces and objects such as communal diaper changing areas, sharing of toys and dining utensils. The incubation time ranges from three to six days, and the disease is typically self-limiting, with recovery occurring within seven to 10 days.”
She added that HFMD could transmit rapidly and result in an outbreak that could necessitate the closure of daycare centres and schools.