A SHARP rise in the number of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) cases, coupled with the reappearance of a deadly strain, is heightening concerns about the latest outbreak of the disease.
On Monday alone, another 527 pre-schoolers came down with the childhood ailment characterised by ulcers, rashes and blisters.
This could push this week's total way past the record 1,245 people who fell ill last week. That figure was itself a 25 per cent jump over the preceding week's.
So far this year, 7,560 people, mainly those under 10, have been hit. Most had mild symptoms and got well in 10 days; 16 were hospitalised.
One other thing is worrying: The re-emergence of the potentially deadly EV71 strain, which killed seven children here in the 2000/2001 outbreak. Back then, schools were shut down too.
Checks show that this strain caused 19 per cent of this year's cases.
This was what pushed the Health Ministry into closing three pre-schools and five childcare centres for 10 days, starting today.
Another 12 centres were also asked to do the same voluntarily to break the transmission of the virus, which spreads through contact.
Although Monday's 527 new infections represented just 1 per cent of the more than 50,000 children enrolled in 744 childcare centres, the authorities have lowered the threshold for closing schools.
Schools will now be asked to close voluntarily if children continue to be infected after 15 days; if over the same period, more than 13 children are infected or if more than 18 per cent fall ill, a mandatory closure is ordered.
Previously, when a school hit these figures, inspectors were sent to do a check before a closure was ordered.
The pre-schools and childcare centres asked to close, either mandatorily or voluntarily, spent yesterday informing parents about the closure so they could make alternative child-minding plans.
Most parents accepted the need for the closure even if it meant some inconvenience.
Administrative manager Jeandy Tan, 40, who has a four-year-old son, said the closure would 'put our minds at ease'. But some parents, like administrative executive Valerie Kway, 30, were concerned about getting time off from work.
A Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) spokesman said that parents without any form of social support could arrange with childcare centre staff for one-to-one care.
Many of the centres The Straits Times spoke to said they would use the 10 days to disinfect their toys and thoroughly clean their premises. Some are hiring professional cleaners.
MCYS Minister of State Yu-Foo Yee Shoon said surprise inspections of the childcare centres would be stepped up. She had just visited Kidsville Child Care & Development Centre in Yishun Street 21, which has only had three HFMD cases this year.
She added that there was just so much the childcare centres could do, and that parents had to be responsible about keeping their sick children at home.
Her point was echoed by Mrs Shirley Tan, the principal of the Holy Trinity Kindergarten, who urged parents not to treat the 10-day closure of schools as a holiday and take their sick children out as this would defeat the purpose of closing centres.
Mrs Yu-Foo added: 'The devil is in the daily practice of personal hygiene. If it is observed, I believe we will be able to break the spread of the disease.'
