A closer look at the Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease outbreak in Hidalgo County

HIDALGO COUNTY, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Hidalgo County Health and Human Services Department has issued a health warning after dozens of cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease have been reported across the region.

According to county officials, 60 cases of the virus have been confirmed in four different schools throughout Hidalgo County.

The outbreak is primarily affecting children, but medical experts say adults can also contract the disease.

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is caused by a virus known as coxsackievirus. There are two main types of the virus: Type A and Type B. Type A is more commonly linked to this disease, while Type B can lead to more serious infections such as meningitis.

Dr. Asim Zamir, Chief of Pediatrics at Valley Baptist Hospital, says the illness has been around for a long time and tends to spike during the spring and summer months. He also believes the back-to-school season may be contributing to the current spread.

“We start seeing all the viruses at that time of the year, such as the flu virus, the COVID virus, coxsackievirus, and adenovirus,” said Dr. Zamir. “So yes, there is some relation, but it’s the gathering of students, all the kids together in school that might be causing more spread, and we’ll see an episode like an epidemic,” he said.

Dr. Ivan Melendez, the Hidalgo County Health Authority, says early symptoms of the disease include fever, throat pain, and nausea. Around the third day of infection, patients may develop painful blisters on the hands, feet, and inside the mouth. These blisters are often filled with fluid.

The disease spreads through airborne droplets or body fluids and is most contagious within the first three days of symptoms appearing.

Despite how contagious the illness is, Dr. Zamir says that it is not dangerous.

Dr. Zamir says in order to prevent this disease, parents should ensure their children are constantly washing their hands and covering their mouths when they cough. Doctors say if a child catches the disease, parents should keep the child home for five days to prevent further spread.

There is no cure for this disease, but doctors will prescribe Tylenol and Motrin and advise patients to eat soft foods such as mashed potatoes, macaroni or ice cream.

If you are unsure of what measures to take, contact your pediatrician, primary care provider, or Hidalgo County Health and Human Services at (956) 318-2426.