The "Hand, Foot, and Mouth" virus closes a classroom in an Egyptian school in Giza

An international school administration in the Saqqara area of Giza announced the closure of one fifth-grade classroom for five days after recording four confirmed cases of the "Hand, Foot, and Mouth" virus (HFMD) among students.

The school sent an email to parents explaining that the classroom will remain closed from October 1 to 5 for thorough disinfection, confirming that the return of infected students is contingent upon providing medical reports proving full recovery.

The Ministry of Education reported that the virus is common among children and spreads quickly, while teams from the Ministry of Health began monitoring the situation on the ground to prevent the transmission of infection to other classrooms.

The virus typically affects children under ten, with symptoms including fever, sore throat, and the appearance of skin blisters on the hands and feet, usually lasting from one week to ten days without serious complications.