The Ministry of Health and Human Services of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) first issued an alert to the general public about suspected cases of Hand Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) on 12th October 2022. Since the initial cases were identified in Providenciales, multiple reports have since been reported from 8 educational institutions.
The latest cases were reported as of November 1, totaling 21 cases since October 1, 2022.
The MOH in partnership with the Environmental Health Department has conducted outreach to schools throughout the islands to educate students on the importance of hand washing and proper hygiene to prevent the spread of this and other communicable diseases.
In addition, the MOH has developed a guideline that focuses on the prevention and control of communicable diseases among children in childcare and educational settings which has been disseminated to schools throughout the TCI by the Ministry of Education.
HFMD is a contagious viral illness that primarily affects infants and children younger than 5 years old. Symptoms include some or all of the following; painful sores in the mouth, rashes on the hands and feet which may be associated with blisters, fever, headache, feeling generally unwell or irritable, runny nose, and/or sore throat.
It is mostly a mild and self-limiting illness lasting for a few days. There is no specific treatment for hand-foot-and-mouth disease. Symptoms are controlled by the use of paracetamol (Panadol or Tylenol) for fever and pain relief which is often necessary.
Persons with suspected HFMD should abstain from school and report to a healthcare provider to obtain guidance, including when to return to work, school, or daycare.
