Staff Reporter<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NINETEEN children affected by Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) in the Rehoboth Health District in the Hardap Region are in stable condition and recovering at home, the Ministry of Health and Social Services has confirmed, urging the public to remain calm and avoid spreading misinformation about the illness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Ministry said the reported cases were being assessed and managed by health authorities, with appropriate public health measures already in place. It expressed concern over rising public anxiety, premature school closures and the circulation of unverified information about the cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Ministry stressed that human HFMD is different from animal Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), despite the similarity in their names. The two illnesses are caused by unrelated viruses and affect different species. HFMD affects humans, particularly young children, while animal FMD primarily affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. Humans cannot contract animal FMD, and animals cannot contract human HFMD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
HFMD is a contagious viral infection that commonly affects children under the age of five, although older children and adults can also become infected. Symptoms include fever, a sore throat, mouth sores or blisters, and a rash or small blisters on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet and sometimes the buttocks. Other symptoms may include poor appetite, difficulty swallowing and irritability in young children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Symptoms generally appear three to six days after exposure and last between seven and 10 days. The illness is usually mild, and most people recover fully. There is no specific antiviral treatment, so care focuses on relieving symptoms and preventing complications such as dehydration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Ministry advises parents and caregivers to ensure that children drink plenty of fluids, practise good hand hygiene and seek medical attention at their nearest clinic or health facility if symptoms develop. Parents should also keep affected children at home until they have recovered to help prevent the virus from spreading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The virus can spread through contact with saliva, nasal mucus or blister fluid, respiratory droplets from coughing and sneezing, contaminated surfaces and objects, as well as contact with faeces, including during nappy changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To reduce transmission, the Ministry recommends frequent handwashing with soap and running water, cleaning and disinfecting commonly touched surfaces and toys, avoiding close contact with infected people, and not sharing cups, bottles, towels or eating utensils. Children should also be taught to cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Ministry has urged school administrations and parents not to close schools prematurely out of fear, saying closures should only be implemented when officially directed by health authorities following a localised risk assessment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It added that surveillance systems remain active nationwide and that health facilities are prepared to detect and manage suspected cases. The Ministry will continue working with affected regions, relevant authorities and partners to monitor the situation and introduce additional measures if necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The public has been urged to verify information before sharing it and to rely on official communication channels rather than unverified social media claims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For further enquiries, the Ministry\u2019s Public Relations Office can be contacted on +264 61 203 2054 or by email at public.relations@mhss.gov.na.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Picture for illustrative purposes only. Photo: Contributed<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Staff Reporter NINETEEN children affected by Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) in the Rehoboth Health District in the Hardap Region are in stable condition and recovering at home, the Ministry of Health and Social Services has confirmed, urging the public to remain calm and avoid spreading misinformation about the illness. The Ministry said the …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":402406,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-402405","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n