Outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease

CTV Windsor: Disease outbreak Officials dealing with outbreak of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease.

A scare for many parents in Windsor Essex, as there’s been an outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease at a number of area daycares.

The Windsor Essex County Health Unit has no details on how many children and which daycares are affected, because it is considered a non-reportable disease.

It mainly affects children under 5, and cases usually occur in the Spring, Summer and Fall.

Officials say the disease is similar to the flu and cold. It takes about one to two days to break out and the symptoms lasts about seven days.

A child may develop a fever, with sores in their hands or feet or elsewhere on their body.

Infection Control Practitioner Darlene Rojek says the disease can spread through nasal discharge, saliva, or fluid from blisters and stool.

Rojek says parents can stop the spread of hand, foot and mouth disease by practicing good hand hygiene, and handwashing.

If you see a rash and the child has a fever, you may want to consult with a health care provider.