GEORGETOWN, Grand Cayman (CMC) – The Ministry of Education in Cayman is monitoring an outbreak of Hand foot and mouth disease following the diagnosis of 20 students at the West End Primary school here.

On Wednesday, the Department of Education Services issued an advisory, stating that the public Health Department has been called in to assist with the outbreak.

Health officials have issued instructions to have the school sanitized.

Meanwhile, parents are being asked to seek medical attention for their child/children, if they display the symptoms and keep them home until they recover to minimize spreading the disease to other students.

The outbreak comes on the heels of a suspected epidemic of the disease in Jamaica which has now spread to 53 schools.

The Ministry of Health in Jamaica on Wednesday announced that 11 schools are affected in the Corporate Area, 18 in the eastern parish of St Thomas and 24 in the central parish of St Catherine.

Four additional schools are being investigated in the Corporate Area and another nine schools in the neighboring parish of St Catherine.

Parents have been advised to keep children with the disease at home to reduce the spread among the school population.

In commenting on the outbreak, the Jamaica Medical Doctors Association (JMDA) says the water shortage could be a factor in the spread of the disease.