Askrigg and Bainbridge primary schools have warned parents of two viruses that could pose a threat to pregnant women.
Notification of a case in school of hand, foot and mouth disease, a common infection that causes mouth ulcers and spots on the hands and feet, was quickly followed by a second warning of slapped cheek syndrome in the pre-school age sibling of one of the pupils.
“This manifests as a rash in the face, as if a child has been slapped, at which point the virus is less likely to be contagious but may already have spread,” says the letter to parents. Women who are pregnant, or think they might be, are advised to contact their doctor or midwife for tests as both viruses are potentially damaging to unborn babies.
