While the world is still grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, a new virus called tomato flu or tomato fever is gaining a foothold in India. The tomato flu was first identified in the Kollam district of Kerala on May 6, 2022, and as of July 26, 2022, more than 82 children younger than 5 years with the infection have been reported by the local government hospitals, reported The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, a medical journal. The other affected areas of Kerala are Anchal, Aryankavu, and Neduvathur. Apart from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Odisha have also reported cases of tomato flu. The infection gets its name ‘tomato flu’ from the red and painful blisters that appear throughout the body and over time enlarge to the size of a tomato. The infection is likely to spread through close contact. In the case of young children, the infection can spread through the use of nappies, touching unclean surfaces, as well as putting things directly into the mouth.
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