AS preschools and childcare centres across Singapore close their doors amid an outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), the Health Ministry has begun providing daily updates on new cases, breaking from its routine of weekly bulletins.

Between Saturday and 3pm on Thursday, 880 new cases of the common childhood virus were reported, bringing the year's total to 8,440.

While the weekly trend is still rising, there are signs the virus could be slowing. The number of patients falling sick has dropped in each of the last four days, bottoming out at 46 on Thursday.

In the wake of the outbreak, at least 16 schools have, or will, close.

Another nine have been asked to voluntarily pull down the shutters, including six that were added to the list on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Thursday was also the first day of spring cleaning at the shuttered schools.

Teachers, principals, caregivers and administrative staff rolled up their sleeves to swab the centres from top to bottom. The disinfection is designed to halt the transmission of HFMD, which is spread through saliva, blister fluid, faeces and occasionally droplets in the air.

At PCF Tampines East, which was asked to voluntarily close, professionals were called in to service airconditioners and fumigate.

'We are making sure that every single corner of the centre is clean,' said general manager Mr Benny Yeo.

While the side effects of HFMD are normally mild, the emergence of a potentially lethal strain of the virus has worried health officials.

Read the full story in Friday's edition of The Straits Times.