A THREE-YEAR-OLD boy, who developed fever, oral ulcers and rash on Aug 3, has died of suspected Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD), said the Ministry of Health on Thursday.

The patient, a Malay boy, was seen by a general practitioner on the same day.

The boy subsequently developed vomiting on August 4 and was admitted to the KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) on August 6.

He became more alert after some initial treatment, but continued throwing up. He later had seizures, a sign of encephalitis or inflammation of the brain lining - a rare but severe complication associated with HFMD.

His elder sister has also been infected, but no details are available on her condition.

He was a student of Elias Kindergarten in Woodlands, which currently has an active HFMD cluster. According to the MOH statement, the kindergarten has been asked to close for 10 days by the Ministry of Education with immediate effect until August 17.

The Health Ministry said yesterday 15 children at the kindergarten have been diagnosed with hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). A visit by The Straits Times yesterday evening found the place quiet, with no parents or children to be seen.

This brings the total number of cases to 17,435 in the first seven months of this year.