Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Oct 08, 2025

Cases of Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease on the rise - VI Epidemiologist

Cases of Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease on the rise - VI Epidemiologist

National Epidemiologist Ms. Harmonie Brewley-Massiah reported has reported that in the territory, some 5 reported cases of Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease (HMFD) have been recorded in the past four weeks.

As such, the Ministry of Health and Social Development is encouraging parents to remain vigilant as hand foot and mouth disease is on the rise in the Territory.

According to Ms. Harmony Brewley-Massiah, the disease is spread from person to person through coughing, sneezing, and contact with infected faces through changing a diaper, or touching surfaces or objects which have been contaminated with the virus.


Persons urged to beware of virus


A release from the Ministry has warned that HFMD, is a generally mild disease caused by a group of viruses called Coxsackie Viruses. It mainly affects infants and young children (less than five years old) but can also occur in older children and adults.

According to Ms. Brewley-Massiah, the disease is spread from person to person through coughing, sneezing, and contact with infected faces through changing a diaper, or touching surfaces or objects which have been contaminated with the virus.

“Symptoms usually begin with a fever, sore throat, reduced appetite, and a general feeling of being unwell,” the National Epidemiologist said.

Ms. Brewley-Massiah added that within a day or two after the first symptoms, a rash and bumps may appear on the soles of the feet, palms of the hands, and inside the mouth.

“A rash may also develop on the elbows, knees, and buttocks. The bumps may blister but do not cause itching,” she said.

Persons without any symptoms and can still pass the virus on to others and the illness is usually mild and persons usually recover from the disease between seven to ten days.

Ms. Harmony Brewley-Massiah added that within a day or two after the first symptoms, a rash and bumps may appear on the soles of the feet, palms of the hands, and inside the mouth.


Daycares must take caution - Brewley-Massiah


“We need daycare institutions to adhere to proper hygiene and sanitation practices and sick children should be kept at home until they are well to limit spread of the infection in schools and daycare institutions,” Ms. Massiah stated.

To reduce the risk of getting infected with HFMD and prevent the spread of the virus, parents and care workers are encouraged to wash hands often with soap and water, especially after changing diapers. Adults should help young children do the same.

The Ministry said there is no specific treatment for HFMD, but symptoms can be treated to provide relief. Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can be used to manage fever and pain. Persons with the virus need to drink enough fluids to prevent dehydration. Cold liquids are usually preferable. Spicy and acidic foods should be avoided as they may cause discomfort.

Persons should also avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. Disinfect surfaces and objects, such as toys and doorknobs. Persons should also avoid close contact such as hugging, kissing, and sharing eating utensils with persons who have HFMD.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
France: Less Than a Month After His Appointment, the New French Prime Minister Resigns
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that Hungary will not adopt the euro because the European Union is falling apart.
Sarah Mullally Becomes First Woman Appointed Archbishop of Canterbury
Mayor in western Germany in intensive care after stabbing
Australian government pays Deloitte nearly half a million dollars for a report built on fabricated quotes, fake citations, and AI-generated nonsense.
US Prosecutors Gained Legal Approval to Hack Telegram Servers
Macron Faces Intensifying Pressure to Resign or Trigger New Elections Amid France’s Political Turmoil
Standard Chartered Names Roberto Hoornweg as Sole Head of Corporate & Investment Banking
UK Asylum Housing Firm Faces Backlash Over £187 Million Profits and Poor Living Conditions
UK Police Crack Major Gang in Smuggling of up to 40,000 Stolen Phones to China
BYD’s UK Sales Soar Nearly Nine-Fold, Making Britain Its Biggest Market Outside China
Trump Proposes Farm Bailout from Tariff Revenues Amid Backlash from Other Industries
FIFA Accuses Malaysia of Forging Citizenship Documents, Suspends Seven Footballers
Latvia to Bar Tourist and Occasional Buses to Russia and Belarus Until 2026
A Dollar Coin Featuring Trump’s Portrait Expected to Be Issued Next Year
Australia Orders X to Block Murder Videos, Citing Online Safety and Public Exposure
Three Scientists Awarded Nobel Prize in Medicine for Discovery of Immune Self-Tolerance Mechanism
OpenAI and AMD Forge Landmark AI-Chip Alliance with Equity Option
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
France Names New Government Amid Political Crisis
Trump Stands Firm in Shutdown Showdown and Declares War on Drug Cartels — Turning Crisis into Opportunity
Surge of U.S. Billionaires Transforms London’s Peninsula Apartments into Ultra-Luxury Stronghold
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Jeff Bezos Calls AI Surge a ‘Good’ Bubble, Urges Focus on Lasting Innovation
Japan’s Ruling Party Chooses Sanae Takaichi, Clearing Path to First Female Prime Minister
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Taylor Swift’s ‘Showgirl’ Launch Extends Billion-Dollar Empire
Trump Administration Launches “TrumpRx” Plan to Enable Direct Drug Sales at Deep Discounts
Trump Announces Intention to Impose 100 Percent Tariff on Foreign-Made Films
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Singapore and Hong Kong Vie to Dominate Asia’s Rising Gold Trade
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Manhattan Sees Surge in Office-to-Housing Conversions, Highest Since 2008
Switzerland and U.S. Issue Joint Assurance Against Currency Manipulation
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Thomas Jacob Sanford Named as Suspect in Deadly Michigan Church Shooting and Arson
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
New York Man Arrested After On-Air Confession to 2017 Parents’ Murders
U.S. Defense Chief Orders Sudden Summit of Hundreds of Generals and Admirals
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
Trump Claims FBI Planted 274 Agents at Capitol Riot, Citing Unverified Reports
India: Internet Suspended in Bareilly Amid Communal Clashes Between Muslims and Hindus
Supreme Court Extends Freeze on Nearly $5 Billion in U.S. Foreign Aid at Trump’s Request
Archaeologists Recover Statues and Temples from 2,000-Year-Old Sunken City off Alexandria
China Deploys 2,000 Workers to Spain to Build Major EV Battery Factory, Raising European Dependence
Speed Takes Over: How Drive-Through Coffee Chains Are Rewriting U.S. Coffee Culture
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Ringo Starr Champions Enduring Beatles Legacy While Debuting Las Vegas Art Show
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
×