Extra precautions urged amid rising HFMD cases
SINGAPORE — In response to a surge in the number of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) cases, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has alerted the Education Ministry and partner agencies such as the Early Childhood Development Agency, urging greater vigilance and for more precautionary measures to be taken against the common childhood disease.
Cases of HFMD infections reached an almost-all-time high of 19,475 infections over the past 22 weeks, the latest figures published by the MOH stated.
In contrast, the median number of cases for the same period from 2011 to 2015 was 8,985.
As of June 8, two childcare centres were listed as active clusters of more than 10 cases, although no childcare centres or kindergartens have been ordered to close yet.
Childcare centres that TODAY contacted yesterday expressed concerns about the potential outbreak, but maintained that they are monitoring the situation for now.
At Brightsun Child Care Centre, a spokesperson said there were no cases so far, but stressed that it was already carrying out the usual checks for prevention.
It conducts daily temperature checks twice a day, and teachers also inspect the children’s hands and mouths for any ulcers and sores. If the problem escalates, the centre might increase checks to thrice a day, and use hand sanitiser on the children once they reach school.
Over at Sonshine Child Care Centre, its principal, Ms Sangeeta, said she was “thankful” that there were just around two cases in the school this year.
On top of the usual procedures, the school also sends the child’s assigned toothbrush and mattress covers home every day for parents to wash.
She said: “The moment we see anything suspicious, like a (child with) a runny nose or high fever, we’ll send the child back … We will take firm action when it really happens, but parents have to be vigilant as well, and take extra care.”
NTUC First Campus, which manages My First Skool, has similar measures, and added that should there be a confirmed case, the class affected would be isolated, and communal activities such as morning assembly would stop.
Even with these precautions, operators said the challenge is also to ensure that sick children stay home.
Brightsun Child Care Centre said some parents get upset when they are told to take their sick children home because they cannot take leave from work, or do not have other childcare arrangements.
“But we have to be more careful (if there’s an outbreak),” its spokesperson said.
Parents such as Mr Sue Bing Hao, 31, noticed that more measures were taken recently by his four-year-old daughter’s preschool, My First Skool at Punggol’s Waterway Point mall. These included email messages sent to parents and a letter put up in the school informing parents that the centre was properly sanitised.
“Our daughter (contracted) HFMD before, so as parents we’re naturally worried … but as long as the school is doing its part, we think she’ll be fine,” he said.
The MOH reiterated its message to parents, urging them to avoid taking their children to school, or any crowded places, should their children show symptoms of HFMD, and to seek medical attention early if their children are unwell.
