SLOW RECOVERY: Sharmaine, watching TV with her grand-aunt, is in a general ward now. The avid reader is picking up reading material again and cherishes the get-well card from her classmates. -- ST PHOTOS: DESMOND FOO

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She has been the hardest hit in the ongoing outbreak of HFMD and her brain has been damaged by swelling, a rare complication of the virus. How bad the damage is, only time will tell, doctors told her family.

For now, Sharmaine is prone to screaming and angry fits, said her family, which is keeping vigil at the KK Women's and Children's Hospital.

Sharmaine is among the 2,000 people infected by HFMD viruses so far this month. The 1,000 cases registered last week is the highest weekly infection rate recorded here.

How Sharmaine got the illness remains a mystery, but she has not spread it to anyone else.

The Ministry of Health was unable to give an update yesterday on the number of those who have been infected so far this week. But it said 75 people have been hospitalised this year with this disease, which is normally mild but can on rare occasions result in death.

Sharmaine, who goes to Radin Mas Primary School in Telok Blangah, was infected by the more severe EV71 virus. This was the virus that killed seven children here during an epidemic in 2000/2001.

About 16 per cent of the more than 6,000 cases this year have been caused by this virus, which is seldom seen.

Sharmaine's aunt, Ms Cecilia Koh, 36, who has been spending 18 hours a day at the hospital, said the family would be grateful if she recovers to 90 per cent of her former self. 'So long as she can lead a normal life,' said Ms Koh.

But no matter how Sharmaine fares, 'we'll give her the best we can', said her aunt, who has helped raise the child from birth.

Sharmaine's mother suffers from a chronic illness and her father is the sole breadwinner of the family. So Sharmaine and her six-year-old sister live with her maternal grandmother, while her two older siblings, aged 12 and 15, live with their parents.

Sharmaine developed a fever on April 3 and the characteristic rashes the next day. By April 8, she had become listless and, the following day, appeared to be in a daze. That was when her aunt rushed her to the hospital where she spent three days in intensive care.

Even talking about Sharmaine brings tears to her aunt's eyes. Crying has become a 'habit', said Ms Koh. 'Normally, when she sees me, she'll be jumping around and telling me about her day. Now, I'm not sure she even recognises me.'

But worse than the listlessness are the bouts of violence and screaming. That 'definitely causes heartache', said Ms Koh.

Pretty, bespectacled and with long hair, Sharmaine appeared on the verge of tears, and tantrums, several times yesterday.

While there is no time frame for her recovery, she is much improved from the early days.

Sharmaine is now in a general ward and the child who used to read a story book a day, is picking up reading material again.

She also loves the big card with messages from her classmates, which is stuck prominently on the wall by her hospital bed.

salma@sph.com.sg