Sarawak is battling a fresh outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease, with authorities urging parents to cancel children's social events to curb the virus.

Sarawak's Deputy Chief Minister George Chan said 44 new cases had been detected on Sunday, with 10 children hospitalised throughout the state.

"However, none of them are critically ill," Chan was quoted as saying by Bernama news agency.

The state on Saturday recorded 56 new cases of the disease, which mainly affects infants and young children.

The virus, which causes mouth and throat ulcers, fever and blisters on hands and feet, has affected over 12,000 children in Sarawak since an initial outbreak at the end of January and the second round, which started in early May.

Eleven children have died from the disease so far.

Temporary closure

Authorities last week ordered the temporary closure of two kindergartens in the town of Miri to curb the virus, while health workers are travelling across the state to detect cases and help in disease prevention.

Chan advised parents to cancel or postpone children's gatherings.

"If possible, all children's social events should be postponed," he said.

The Health Ministry on March 3 ordered the closure for a few weeks of all 488 kindergartens and child-care centres in Sarawak, which is on Borneo island.

Sarawak has been hit periodically by the disease. In the worst outbreak in 1997, 31 people died.