SINGAPORE: 17 students from Unity Primary in Choa Chu Kang have
been hit by the Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD).
The students affected cut across all levels, from Primary 1 to
Primary 6.
Students with HFMD symptoms were first isolated and then checked by
teachers.
Those found to have fever, blisters on their hands and ulcers in
their mouths were sent home.
The first two cases were detected on 1 April when parents of the
Primary 1 students informed the school.
Five days later, another student from the same class contracted the
disease.
Since then, about three students have been down with HFMD
daily.
The school says that besides suspending all co-curricular
activities, students are also seated further apart from each other
in classrooms.
School principal Teoh Tiong San said: "Some of the measures we've
put in place are active checking of pupils who have shown signs of
the HFMD and isolating suspect cases.
"We have also stepped up our cleaning efforts. Classrooms are
cleaned twice a day. Common areas like the halls, canteen and
especially the toilets, are cleaned four times a day.
"We are also educating our students on the importance of personal
hygiene and social responsibility."
Posters have also been put up to educate students on HFMD's
symptoms.
Unity Primary is not the first school to report such cases over the
last few weeks.
The public has called Channel NewsAsia's hotline to say some
childcare centres were found to have the disease.
According to the Health Ministry, there was a slight increase in
the number of children infected with HFMD last month compared to
the same period last year.
But the Ministry says it's no cause for alarm.
It says HFMD, caused by enteroviruses commonly found among
children, spreads easily when they gather in close proximity. -
CNA/ir