Hand, foot and mouth disease on the rise in Kugluktuk

With an increase in cases of hand, foot and mouth disease in Kugluktuk, the Government of Nunavut is asking people in the community to take precautions to stop the spread of the infection.

The disease is caused by a virus that is mostly reported in infants and children younger than five years old, but can affect people of all ages, said a release Thursday from the Health Department.

Symptoms include fever, sores in and around the mouth, and a blister-like rash commonly found on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, although they can appear on other parts of the body as well. It’s spread through nose and throat secretions, blister fluid, and stool from infected individuals.

Children with these symptoms should stay home to prevent the infection from spreading, the release said. Hand, foot and mouth disease should resolve itself within a few days.

If a child has these symptoms, a fever, and looks unwell, parents can take them to the health centre.

There is no “specific antiviral treatment” for hand, foot and mouth disease, according to the National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases.

Nunavummiut can also lower the risk of spreading the infection by washing their hands, disinfecting dirty surfaces and soiled items and avoiding close contact with infected people, according to the Health Department.