In Japan, a strain of enterovirus is causing a substantial increase in hand, foot, and mouth disease cases even beyond the typical summer period, leading to a surge well into October. The National Institute of Infectious Diseases reported that designated medical institutions nationwide have been observing a rise in patients suffering from this viral infection, characterized by rashes on the hands, feet, and mouth.
The recent spike in cases has been significant, with the largest number of patients recorded for this time of the year in over a decade. Various prefectures in Japan are grappling with the impact of this increase, with places like Ehime, Yamagata, Toyama, Miyagi, Kagawa, and Fukushima seeing high numbers of patients per medical institution surveyed. Additionally, in 41 out of 47 prefectures, the number of cases has surpassed the warning level of five patients per institution.
Hand, foot, and mouth disease spreads primarily through respiratory droplets and physical contact with contaminated hands, leading to symptoms like fever, mouth rashes, and skin eruptions on the hands and feet. Although the disease is most prevalent among children under 2 years old, this year has seen a rise in cases among older children, including elementary school students, possibly due to a lack of immunity resulting from low case counts during the COVID-19 pandemic. To prevent the spread of the disease, experts recommend proper handwashing practices with soap and water, emphasizing that alcohol-based sanitizers may be less effective against enteroviruses.