His comment came amid signs that the spread of the virus was slowing, based on the decreasing daily figures reported last week.

At its peak last week, there were 326 cases reported on Monday. The number dropped every day and, as at 3pm on Friday, there were 78 cases.

Between last Sunday and 3pm on Friday, there were 1,162 new cases reported, bringing the year's total to 8,722.

'Hard to say, hard to say,' was Mr Khaw's considered reply when asked if the worst was over.

Addressing reporters at the opening of the Lianhe Wanbao Beauty and Healthcare Fair 2008 in Suntec City, he explained that there were certain patterns in HFMD.

'There are certain peaks. In terms of the peak period, we haven't quite hit the peak period yet, based on previous records,' he said.

'Of course, we always hope that we have hit the peak and that from now on, it will continue to go down. If everybody cooperates, we can keep the peak very low.'

What worried him more about this year's outbreak was not the numbers, but the re-emergence of the potentially deadly Enterovirus 71 (EV71) strain. It was responsible for about 20 per cent of this year's cases.

EV71 killed seven children here in an outbreak in 2000 and 2001.

This strain does not surface every year, Mr Khaw pointed out. Its appearance was the reason his ministry had been enforcing stricter measures, such as mandating schools to close, to stem the spread.

So far, 11 childcare centres and preschools have been ordered to shut down in the past week, while another 26 schools have been advised to close voluntarily.

At least 16 children have had to be hospitalised among the recent cases. The most serious case so far involves a seven-year-old girl who suffered from inflammation of the brain.

Mr Khaw does not think that parents were complacent. He was sure that they would be worried about their children's health.

'Sometimes, it's just carelessness. If you have looked after little kids before, you'd know. It's not easy to keep the kids still. They play, they rub against each other,' he said.

'But once the symptoms appear, that is when they become infectious. Parents should no longer be careless then. Quickly send the kids to see a doctor, then keep them at home.'

At the fair, Mr Khaw also launched the third volume of A Guide To Well Being, a book on good health written by Lianhe Wanbao journalists.

Now into its fourth year, yesterday's fair was the biggest organised by the Chinese newspaper so far, with 96 exhibitors occupying 152 booths.

The event, which is expected to attract more than 100,000 visitors, ends today.