8 children from Bhangeli village in Uttarkashi have tested positive for Coxsackie virus after 15 children developed symptoms associated with hand, foot and mouth disease, or HFMD. Health officials are now examining other children in the village to assess whether more cases are present.
The development has raised concern over a possible link with contaminated water. The health department has indicated that contaminated water was responsible for the children’s illness, but investigators have not established whether the virus entered the drinking-water supply or came through another source.
The Water Institute has denied that the drinking water is contaminated. Its claim will be assessed through further investigation, while surveillance of the water sources has been stepped up.
Symptoms reported among children
Dr. Ved Moik, a physician at the Bhatwari Community Health Centre, said the affected children had rashes on their hands, feet and mouths. They also reported high fever, throat pain and loss of appetite.
A health department team visited Bhangeli after several children fell ill. The symptoms were found to resemble HFMD, prompting testing of 15 children. Laboratory confirmation identified Coxsackie virus in 8 of them.
HFMD is generally seen in children below 7 years of age. The illness is associated with the characteristic rash and other symptoms reported in the Bhangeli cases.
No paediatrician available in Uttarkashi
The episode has also highlighted a staffing gap in Uttarkashi district, which currently has no paediatrician. When several children became ill at the same time, the health department assigned a physician to their treatment.
Doctors sought advice from paediatricians in other districts while treating the children. Paediatric expertise is important in such cases because children’s physical and mental needs differ from those of adults, and medicine doses must account for their development.
The health department is continuing examinations of other children in Bhangeli. Water-source monitoring has also been intensified, but the precise route through which the virus spread remains unresolved.
Conclusion
8 of 15 symptomatic children have been confirmed with Coxsackie virus, while health teams investigate additional cases and examine whether the water supply or another source was involved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How many children tested positive for Coxsackie virus?
8 of the 15 children examined tested positive for the virus.
Q. Where were the children reported to be ill?
The children fell ill in Bhangeli village in Uttarkashi.
Q. What illness is associated with Coxsackie virus in this report?
The virus is associated with hand, foot and mouth disease, also known as HFMD.
Q. What symptoms did the children experience?
Reported symptoms included rashes on the hands, feet and mouth, high fever, throat pain and loss of appetite.
Q. Has the source of the virus been confirmed?
No. It remains unclear whether the virus came through drinking water or another source.
Q. What action has been taken regarding the water sources?
The Water Institute has intensified monitoring of the water sources.
Q. Does Uttarkashi district have a paediatrician?
The district currently has no paediatrician. Doctors consulted paediatricians from other districts during treatment.
