The Department of Health has called for calm following an outbreak of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease in KwaZulu-Natal province, mostly around Durban.

The Department says it is working with the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) to monitor the situation while providing necessary support to the province to contain the spread of this fairly common viral infection, which mainly affects infants and children under the age of five.

This comes after at least 117 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease were reported at primary schools and daycare centres in Phoenix, Greenwood Park, and Umhlanga. The first six cases were reported between 6 and 10 February.

“There is no need for the public to panic because the outbreak remains under control and at the current moment there is no serious public health threat detected.” added the DoH

The department has however urged parents and caregivers to be vigilant in case their children display common symptoms such as fever, sore throat, tiredness, loss of appetite and small blisters on the inside of the mouth, sides of the tongue, palms of the hands and soles of the feet.

The infection is usually self-limiting and clears without medication after 7 to 10 days. This means that one can recover without taking treatment or medication.

Parents are also urged to keep symptomatic children at home until they recover to prevent further spread of the disease.

READ MORE: Hand Foot and Mouth Disease in South Africa: What You Need to Know

Although hand, foot and mouth disease is not part of the department’s notifiable medical conditions, the Department says it remains on high alert to monitor the number of cases in KwaZulu Natal and to detect outbreaks, if experienced, in other parts of the country.

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