Alecia Sundsmo, the executive director of the Wellness Center says that approximately two percent of students on campus have been diagnosed by the Wellness Center with Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease.

“The infection most often affects children, but adults may get it too,” Sundsmo says. “It occurs worldwide mainly in the summer and early autumn.”

Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease may include a wide range of symptoms such as fever, sores in the mouth, blisters on hands and feet and a loss of appetite.

The virus goes away on its on without treatment generally between seven and ten days, but varies by person.

A student who had the disease, Ellie Cosby ’19 reported that she “missed classes for two days and… had a fever for three days,” in addition to a “bad sore throat.”

The disease is spread when a person comes in contact with an infected person’s nasal secretions, saliva, fluid from blisters, stool or respiratory droplets sprayed into the air after a cough or sneeze, etc. Sundsmo says the infection is most contagious, “during the first week of their illness, typically before the sores or fever are present.”

“There have been spikes in cases at other colleges as well as here in the local community this year,” says Sundsmo, “so it’s not surprising that we have it here now.”

“…it will likely recur in future years.” Sundsmo continues. “It tends to come in waves, just like the flu, with some years seeing many cases and other years seeing hardly any.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease, a type of coxsackievirus A16 virus, has been spreading in areas throughout the country. High schools in Indiana, New Jersey, and Vermont have cancelled football games due to the outbreak of the virus. Additionally, the infection has been spreading through the campuses of Florida State University, Colorado University Boulder, University of North Florida, as well as a few others.

There is no specific treatment for Hand, Foot and Mouth disease. Due to the fact that there is no specific treatment, it is very important that students do what they can to avoid it from spreading. This student even, “left campus and went home so (he) couldn’t spread the disease.”

Jessica Huang ’19, who also caught the disease, said that “it was a real bummer to find out you caught a common virus for infants.”

The best ways to prevent the spreading of Hand, Foot and Mouth disease is to practice good hygiene and staying as clean as possible. Such practices include: washing hands frequently and carefully, disinfecting common areas, and isolating those that are infected and contagious, recommends the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.