Singapore to reopen preschools as epidemic fears ease

SINGAPORE (Reuters) -- Singapore nurseries and kindergartens, closed for two weeks to halt the spread of sometimes deadly hand, foot, mouth disease, will reopen on Monday, health officials said.

Some 1,725 suspected cases have been reported this month. As of Thursday, nine children were in hospital with the disease but they were in stable condition.

The disease is suspected in the deaths of four children in the city state last month and of a three-year-old in the neighboring Malaysian state of Johor last week.

The government closed all kindergartens and childcare centers in early October in a bid to break the transmission chain.

It also directed fast-food restaurants to shut children's play areas and closed public and private wading pools. These will remain closed until further notice.

Symptoms of the disease include fever, sore throat, runny nose, mouth ulcers, rash on hands, feet or buttocks, vomiting and diarrhea.

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