The Centre for Health Protection has confirmed four Enterovirus-71 infection cases involving four children aged one and six, bringing this year's total to 18.

A three-year-old boy came down with fever, a lesion in his mouth and a rash over his hands and feet on May 10. He was admitted to United Christian Hospital the next day and was discharged yesterday.

Thirteen other children from the kindergarten-childcare centre the boy attends also had hand-foot-mouth disease symptoms from April 13 to May 5. They sought private medical treatment and none needed to be hospitalised.

All the 14 affected children have been advised to stay at home for at least two weeks after all symptoms have subsided.

A six-year-old boy developed lesions in his mouth and on his foot on May 9 and attended Yan Chai Hospital Accident & Emergency Department the next day. He was then transferred to Princess Margaret Hospital and was discharged on May 11. The boy had been in Fujian from April 26 to May 9 and the kindergarten he attends has had no recent hand-foot-mouth disease reports.

A three-year-old girl living with her parents in Dongguan came down with a sore throat and rash over her hands and feet on May 10. She arrived in Hong Kong on May 12 and was admitted to Kwong Wah Hospital. The girl was discharged today.

The last case involved a one-year-old boy living with his parents in Foshan. He came down with fever, a lesion in his mouth and a rash over his hands and feet on May 9 and consulted medical practitioners on the Mainland. He travelled to Hong Kong for medical treatment and was admitted to Kwong Wah Hospital on May 10. He is now in stable condition.

Hong Kong saw 35 Enterovirus-71 infection cases in 2004, 8 in 2005, 16 in 2006 and 12 last year. For tips on preventing the disease, click here.