Children affected with strange fever in Kalmadka

• People suspect foot and mouth disease

Sullia: A few children in Kalmadka village have been affected by a strange fever causing much anxiety amongst the people in the village. The disease also seems to be spreading fast. The symptoms of the fever resemble that of the foot and mouth disease found in animals.

The similarity in the fever had terrified the residents of the village. However, the government medical officials have rejected the people’s conclusion.

Six children below the age of 11 years including breastfeeding infants who live in areas of Kalmadaka, Kachila, Bommetti and Malappamakki have been affected by the disease. The parents of a few children are using herbal medicine while others are using allopathic medicine as the cure.

Symptoms

In the beginning the affected children acquaint high fever. The fever is followed by boils filled with water on feet, legs and mouth. The boils between the toes burst and ooze puss. Due to the ulcers in the mouth, the afflicted young find it hard to swallow food.

“My child first got affected with fever and then boils emerged on the feet and fingers. the boils are now spreading throughout the body. the local doctors have prescribed medicine for general fever. I have also come to know of many children who are affected with the same kind of fever in the vicinity of my village,” said the parent of a child affected by the fever.

“No case of the reported kind is so far noticed in the taluk. There is no possibility of human beings getting affected by foot and mouth disease. There is a possibility that children might have been affected by this fever due to the change in the climatic conditions,” said Dr Subramanya Rao, taluk medical officer.

District medical officer, Dr Ramakrishna Rao said, “The strange fever noticed in children is a serious issue. I will get the information from the taluk medical officer and dispatch a team of doctors to the area. I will immediately look into the action of getting the reports. There is no need to panic.”