Maryland Reports Increase in Hand, Foot, and โMouth Disease Cases
ANNAPOLIS, MD (7News) – maryland โขis experiencing aโฃ rise in cases โคof Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease โ(HFMD), a common and โcontagiousโฃ illness primarily affecting young children. โฃThe Centers for โDisease Control and Prevention โ(CDC) reports HFMD โtypically causes fever, mouth โฃsores, and a skin rash.
Accordingโ to โคdata provided to 7News by Maryland officials, reported cases have fluctuated in recent years:โค 74 in 2022, 145 in 2023, 48 in 2024, and 118 so far โin 2025.
Dr. Emily Boss, Director of Pediatric Otolaryngology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, โขexplained the vulnerability of young children.”it’s most โcommonly seenโฆ in daycares and schools and kids who are under five, mostly โฃbecause โฃthey โhave developing immune systems and it’s such a highly contagious virus that that’s their first exposure,”โค she said.
Dr.โฃ Boss โขalso noted that the increase โคin cases may be partially attributed to โขimproved reporting and greater awareness. She added, “The enteroviruses in particular โฃ- that’s the group of โviruses that cause Hand, Foot and Mouth- they โคtend to thrive in these warmer environments โand climate. So late summer and โearly fall are very common.”
HFMD is caused byโค different strains of โฃthe virus, meaning children canโค contract the illness multiple times. While โtypically resolving within seven to ten days, Dr. Boss reassured โคparents, “This is โคnot โขa very severeโค disease. So if you’re to see it,โฃ don’t panic.”