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