Okahandja:The Ministry of Health and Social Services has confirmed an outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease at the Okahandja Police Station holding cells. Four inmates have been attended to by a medical team from the Okahandja State Hospital.

According to NAMPA, Otjozondjupa Health Director Gebhardo Timoteus stated that the medical team conducted laboratory tests on Friday and Saturday, which confirmed the presence of hand, foot and mouth disease and ruled out chickenpox. The affected inmates were held in cells two and five.

The four patients exhibited symptoms such as blister-like spots on their arms, palms, and feet, mild mouth ulcers, and itching. They were treated with paracetamol and ibuprofen for pain relief and given steroid creams or ointments for itching before being discharged in stable condition. The health director suggested that poor general hygiene might have contributed to the outbreak.

Timoteus explained that the disease is caused by the Coxsackie virus and can spread rapidly through direct contact with an infected person, especially among children under the age of five. The inmates were advised on the importance of maintaining good hygiene and staying hydrated and instructed to return to the hospital if symptoms persisted.

At the time of reporting, no community members had sought treatment for similar symptoms at the Okahandja State Hospital. Timoteus clarified that the virus causing hand, foot and mouth disease in humans is different from the aphthovirus responsible for foot-and-mouth disease in animals.