SINGAPORE : A project to develop a diagnostic test kit for hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) has been awarded S$200,000 by the Economic Development Board, under the Medical Technology Proof-of-Concept scheme.

Rockeby biomed, a Singapore-based diagnostic group, will be working with the Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore on this project.

HFMD is an illness caused by intestinal viruses, two common strains being the Coxsackie virus and EV71.

EV71 - the more dangerous strain - can cause complications that can result in death. - CNA/ms