The Centre for Health Protection is investigating a hand, foot and mouth disease outbreak in a Sha Tin kindergarten involving nine children aged three to six.

They developed fever, mouth ulcers, blisters on their feet and hands, abdominal pain and diarrhoea from May 5 to 28. A four-year-old boy was diagnosed with Enterovirus-71 on May 26.

None of the children required hospitalisation. Five, including the boy with EV71, have recovered. The four others are in stable condition.

The centre has advised the school management to suspend lessons for two weeks from tomorrow, for thorough disinfection.

Samples taken from the affected children are under examination.

Hand, foot and mouth disease is a viral infection mainly transmitted via the faecal-oral route. Direct contact with open skin can also spread it.