Of these, 234 cases were reported between Saturday and 3pm on Monday.

Some of those which reopened on Monday said there was no 'unusual dips' in attendance.

Some have also stepped up their hygiene standards and checks on students.

St Andrew's Cathedral Child Development Centre has newly installed a sanitiser dispenser at the door for pupils to clean their hands before entering the centre.

Centre supervisor Adrienne Soon said: 'We have to take whatever precautions we can take because we really don't want this thing to repeat again.'

At Just Kids@Jurong, manager Eileen Hee said the centre now restricts parents from stepping beyond the door to minimise the spread of bacteria and will step up checks to ensure the students are 'very clean'.

HFMD is endemic in Singapore, with children catching the virus almost daily.

Symptoms include fever, headache, sore throat and a red rash, usually on the limbs and in the mouth thus giving the illness its name.