The superintendent for the Monessen City School District said it's aware of more than five cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease in the elementary school.

It's that time of year when bugs and illnesses begin spreading in the halls at school, and kids, like Connie Francia's grandson, may come home from Monessen Elementary Center saying they don't feel well.

"You can't prevent that; that happens," Francia said. "When school starts and the kids are together, you're going to have that."

At the elementary school, the latest culprit is hand, foot, and mouth disease. Superintendent Robert Motte sent a letter to parents to notify them of the recent cases.

Doctor Sundeep Ekbote, regional chief medical officer and director of emergency medicine at Penn Highlands Southwest, said it's a viral con

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