Tomato flu: symptoms, transmission and what might be causing it

Doctors think the unusual tomato-shaped rash might have a link to the Covid virus

Person having rash examined on their arm
Symptoms of tomato flu include a high temperature, intense joint pain and a rash
(Image credit: Brothers91/Getty Images)

University of Brighton biomedical science fellow Sarah Pitt on the cause of this mysterious illness

A “new virus” called tomato flu has been reported in Kerala, India. According to an article in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, the first case of this mysterious illness was reported on 6 May. There have now been over 80 cases, with the disease spreading to other parts of India.

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