A new virus called “tomato flu” is spreading rapidly in India, which got its name because of the painful red blisters that appear on the body of patients. It is noted that the new virus appeared in India in the state of Kerala in children under the age of 5 . A rare viral infection is endemic.

This is reported by Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
The virus is highly contagious and easily transmitted through close contact. You can get sick even by touching dirty surfaces or putting things in your mouth. Its symptoms are similar to coronavirus, chikungunya and dengue fever. The main symptoms seen in children with tomato flu are similar to chikungunya symptoms, which include high fever, rash and severe joint pain. Tomato flu also causes skin rashes that cause skin irritation. As with other viral infections, additional symptoms include fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, dehydration, swollen joints, body aches, and general flu-like symptoms similar to those seen with dengue.

Tomato flu was first detected in the Kollam district of Kerala on 6 May 2022, and as of 26 July 2022, over 82 children under the age of 5 have been reported by local government hospitals. To date, apart from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Odisha, no other region of India has been affected by the virus. However, the Kerala State Health Department is taking precautionary measures to monitor the spread of the virus and prevent its spread to other parts of India.